This movie is dense, like
really dense. On one hand, it's an eccentric and bold drama about the illusion of freewill and on the other, it's a highly metaphorical commentary on social trends and personal identity. I can't say much about its director Ari Folman since I haven't seen any of his work, but I will say that he's extremely ambitious since this movie is basically a giant middle finger to Tinsel-town and a lot of the industry changes that have happened over the last few decades.
The Congress stars Robin Wright as a washed up version of herself that is offered one final contract that essentially gives Miramount studios, a fictional conglomerate movie studio, the exclusive rights to, well, Robin Wright. They scan her body, her personality, her emotions, and essentially all that is the aging actress into a computer to use as they see fit and crank out Robin Wright movies whenever they want.
Naturally there is a catalyst for her accepting the offer since she initially has the common sense to refute her agent's (Harvey Keitel) demands; her son has some rare disease that's going to leave him deaf and blind. In the end, she accepts a large sum of money in exchange for her promise to not act again for the next 20 years or so. Paul Giamatti makes an appearance as the kid's doctor and Danny Huston also shows up as the film executive guy.
The Congress is the latest film adaptation of a book written by none other than Stanislav Lem the visionary Polish Author. Now, what you're probably not expecting, much like I wasn't, is once the film has fast forwarded 20 years to when Wright's contract is expiring, that the film would suddenly turn into an Acid-Trip.
Yes, the roughly 70 year old Robin Wright in the movie is invited to speak at The Futurological Congress and ingests some psychotropic drug that turns her world into a cartoon. No seriously, the movie is animated like an old Disney film for the next hour or so of the film. This is the part of the film that started to lose me, and I have to be careful of spoilers, but essentially the corporate fat- cats at Miramount (Love the portmanteau of Miramax and Paramount by the way) want Robin to advocate some new drug that allows you to become whoever you want. So for instance if you wanted to become Robin Wright you'd just drink her essence and become her (in cartoon land).
Basically in the future people are free to take a drug that turns changes their perception of the world into a trippy cartoon. Robin spends most of the movie trying to find her son and the whole film I couldn't help but think of Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Like I said, it's a trip.
I can't say I liked this film, but I did find it extremely interesting. It's incredibly inventive and ambitious, but I wonder if it isn't a little too ambitious. It's full of subtle humor that blends nicely with the depressed tone of the film, and you'll find yourself having a few good laughs when you recognize famous characters and actors as their cartoon avatars are presented. As far as the whole 'decadence of our times' commentary goes, I couldn't help but think of The Matrix which is more or less concerned with the same themes as The Congress. Individuality and the illusion of freedom both play heavily into Robin Wrights trippy journey (also a good name for the film) as well as a slew of other metaphors that I will leave you to discover for yourself.
Read this and other reviews on the DriveInZeppelin website
The Congress stars Robin Wright as a washed up version of herself that is offered one final contract that essentially gives Miramount studios, a fictional conglomerate movie studio, the exclusive rights to, well, Robin Wright. They scan her body, her personality, her emotions, and essentially all that is the aging actress into a computer to use as they see fit and crank out Robin Wright movies whenever they want.
Naturally there is a catalyst for her accepting the offer since she initially has the common sense to refute her agent's (Harvey Keitel) demands; her son has some rare disease that's going to leave him deaf and blind. In the end, she accepts a large sum of money in exchange for her promise to not act again for the next 20 years or so. Paul Giamatti makes an appearance as the kid's doctor and Danny Huston also shows up as the film executive guy.
The Congress is the latest film adaptation of a book written by none other than Stanislav Lem the visionary Polish Author. Now, what you're probably not expecting, much like I wasn't, is once the film has fast forwarded 20 years to when Wright's contract is expiring, that the film would suddenly turn into an Acid-Trip.
Yes, the roughly 70 year old Robin Wright in the movie is invited to speak at The Futurological Congress and ingests some psychotropic drug that turns her world into a cartoon. No seriously, the movie is animated like an old Disney film for the next hour or so of the film. This is the part of the film that started to lose me, and I have to be careful of spoilers, but essentially the corporate fat- cats at Miramount (Love the portmanteau of Miramax and Paramount by the way) want Robin to advocate some new drug that allows you to become whoever you want. So for instance if you wanted to become Robin Wright you'd just drink her essence and become her (in cartoon land).
Basically in the future people are free to take a drug that turns changes their perception of the world into a trippy cartoon. Robin spends most of the movie trying to find her son and the whole film I couldn't help but think of Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Like I said, it's a trip.
I can't say I liked this film, but I did find it extremely interesting. It's incredibly inventive and ambitious, but I wonder if it isn't a little too ambitious. It's full of subtle humor that blends nicely with the depressed tone of the film, and you'll find yourself having a few good laughs when you recognize famous characters and actors as their cartoon avatars are presented. As far as the whole 'decadence of our times' commentary goes, I couldn't help but think of The Matrix which is more or less concerned with the same themes as The Congress. Individuality and the illusion of freedom both play heavily into Robin Wrights trippy journey (also a good name for the film) as well as a slew of other metaphors that I will leave you to discover for yourself.
Read this and other reviews on the DriveInZeppelin website