Some conservatives might find it surprising that I think they might find much to like in a film that looks approvingly at infidelity, promiscuity, narcotics use, and assisted suicide, takes swipes at President Bush and Prime Minister Berlusconi, and includes language that while completely realistic, isn’t at all the type of thing that Michael Powell wants people to hear on film. Hey, this film was even made by French Canadians! But there is much they’ll love: the negative representations of unions and the Canadian health care system, the pretty young junkie who changes her ways, the fact that all of life’s problems (short of mortality) can seemingly be solved by English-speaking young capitalist bankers. Beyond that, the central themes seem to be that family and old friends trump everything else we have in life, raising strong children is of the utmost importance, capitalism will drive socialism and/or the world of ideas into the dirt, and most intellectual theories of the past several decades have been at best stupid, and at worst vulgar. In many ways this film seems a repudiation of the beliefs and values of a certain highly-schooled middle-aged elite.
But irrespective of its ideological intentions, it's a well-made movie. It looks great, and the acting is good. If you are in the mood to see a movie that deals with family and friends reconciling, coming together to celebrate a life in the face of impending grief, you can do much worse.
Posted by armand at July 22, 2004 10:02 AM | TrackBack | Posted to Movies