| Reconciliation and peace |
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| written by MKaliher |
January 11, 2009 - 2:49 AM PST |
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2 out of 2 members found this review helpful
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Céline is an engaging film that exploits the undercurrent of Catholic Christianity's spirituality and mysticism which runs beneath so many French films. (Godard's Ave Maria is a recent example of another French film that uses these themes--although in the case of Ave Maria it's probably more accurate to call it counter-Catholic.) But Céline taps even deeper into the multicultural, pantheistic well from which Catholic Christianity has drawn for 1,800 years, from the veneration of the Mother of God to deep mysticism and spiritual healing.
Yet this film isn't so easy to pigeonhole. Let's just say I've watched it three times in a row, and find it has a haunting appeal. I'll certainly be buying a copy for my home video library. No one gets shot or stabbed, there are no explosions, no irresponsible driving, no plans to dominate or save the world. It's simply about two women who meet and develop an affection and respect for each other, learn important lessons from each other, and move on. But there's more to it than I can describe.
The last few Rohmer films I screened--despite all the hip hype--were a great disappointment to me: shallow, self-absorbed characters spouting community-college-level philosophical drivel. Brisseau's Céline, on the other hand, presents intelligent, believable characters dealing with real issues like loneliness and despair, yet discovering some resolution and peace. In the future, if I have to make a choice between a Brisseau film and a Rohmer film, I'll choose a Brisseau. And, by the way, Clarke Fountain's All Move Guide synopsis is way out of wack. |
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