With Sam Neill and Harvey Keitel, I was expecting to see one of the best movies ever. Each of them, alone, are reasons to see a movie, as they are amazing actors, usually involved with interesting if not thrilling films.
This was not the case.
The lead Character, Ada, is an annoying, weak creature, with almost no will of her own. Her life is left adrift to the wind, like a feather carried away. She stopped speaking, she had a child, now she is force-wed to a rich man, and none of these was her own choice. Throughout the film, almost nothing she does is her own choice. She can't speak, because she has nothing to say. She is an empty vessel, that happens to be a very good piano player, but by no means she could ever be considered an artist. There is nothing artistic in her lack of personality, her lack of character and her lack of strength. Art is all about the opposite, a triumph of will, expression and attitude, over the meaninglessness of human existence. The only thing that Ada shows is denial and refusal. She wouldn't even give in to Harvey Keitel's desire, but not because she doesn't want to. "Want" is an unknown word for her. That is, because all she can do is deny. She is driven to him by instinct, not by conscious decision. She is a weak, pathetic human being, that also stands against all values of female empowerment, and not only should she have drowned with her piano, but not have existed in the first place. Such characters are a disgrace for the human race, and only can be used as stepping stones for the forces of tyranny. On top of all that, she is accompanied by her even-more annoying, obnoxious daughter (although, a great performance by Anna Pacquin).
Sam Neill's character makes no sense also. His attitude towards life is equally a submission to the slavery of non-free will. He marries a woman he doesn't know, and believes he is gonna love her, and she will love him back, and even though these could've been customs of those times - this suggestion doesn't make sense, even by neolithic standards. We are humans, and deep inside we all know what love is, no matter what social standards and fads of a certain era may try to force into us.
So we're left with our "hero" being George Baines, a potential rapist. If I was a woman I'd be even more angry with this sexist, sentimental piece of garbage that tries to glorify victims, weakness and passiveness.
Don't fall far this movie. We've grown out of this stuff as a species.
This was not the case.
The lead Character, Ada, is an annoying, weak creature, with almost no will of her own. Her life is left adrift to the wind, like a feather carried away. She stopped speaking, she had a child, now she is force-wed to a rich man, and none of these was her own choice. Throughout the film, almost nothing she does is her own choice. She can't speak, because she has nothing to say. She is an empty vessel, that happens to be a very good piano player, but by no means she could ever be considered an artist. There is nothing artistic in her lack of personality, her lack of character and her lack of strength. Art is all about the opposite, a triumph of will, expression and attitude, over the meaninglessness of human existence. The only thing that Ada shows is denial and refusal. She wouldn't even give in to Harvey Keitel's desire, but not because she doesn't want to. "Want" is an unknown word for her. That is, because all she can do is deny. She is driven to him by instinct, not by conscious decision. She is a weak, pathetic human being, that also stands against all values of female empowerment, and not only should she have drowned with her piano, but not have existed in the first place. Such characters are a disgrace for the human race, and only can be used as stepping stones for the forces of tyranny. On top of all that, she is accompanied by her even-more annoying, obnoxious daughter (although, a great performance by Anna Pacquin).
Sam Neill's character makes no sense also. His attitude towards life is equally a submission to the slavery of non-free will. He marries a woman he doesn't know, and believes he is gonna love her, and she will love him back, and even though these could've been customs of those times - this suggestion doesn't make sense, even by neolithic standards. We are humans, and deep inside we all know what love is, no matter what social standards and fads of a certain era may try to force into us.
So we're left with our "hero" being George Baines, a potential rapist. If I was a woman I'd be even more angry with this sexist, sentimental piece of garbage that tries to glorify victims, weakness and passiveness.
Don't fall far this movie. We've grown out of this stuff as a species.