Movies Reviews

Melancholia – Movie Review

By Anne Brodie Nov 11, 2011, 0:02 GMT

Director Lars Von Trier takes on an end of the world story like none other. The film will focus on two sisters who find their relationship challenged as a nearby planet threatens to collide into the Earth. ...more

Melancholia is famous for being the topic of conversation at Cannes when Lars Von Trier ran off the rails ranting about Jews and Hitler and Nazis.

I’m putting aside Von Trier’s ridiculous, inflammatory remarks to focus on the film - his first in years and the one he did instead of the final chapter to Wasington, which would have rounded out the trilogy begun with Dogville and Manderlay.

Von Trier has always put forth a deeply depressed vibe, indicating some kind of obsessions with sadness, death and destruction, and it comes to full flower in his most commercial film yet which takes place as the earth is about to be destroyed by stray planet hurtling towards it.  Talk about the ultimate sadness.

Melancholia is divided into two chapters which take place at the same mansion in the country where the wedding is held, and a few days later.  The first is Justine, focusing on Kristin Dunst’s depressed bride, and the second is Claire, from the point of view of Justine’s nurturing, long suffering sister played exquisitely by Charlotte Gainsbourg.

It is Justine’s wedding day.  Her husband (Alexander Skarsgård) is adoring and patient with her inattention and apparent selfishness.  They arrive at the mansion two hours late, and then Justine can’t seem to focus on it. She takes a bath, takes a lover, and ultimately takes a powder on her new husband. Guests are shocked – the wedding planner (Udo Kier) refuses to look at her, covering his face whenever he passes her. 

Justine’s mother (Charlotte Rampling) is a vicious, unhappy woman, determined to express her disgust for social norms, and her father (John Hurt) refuses to have a heart-to heart  she desperately wants. 

Claire shoulders the responsibility of orchestrating the evening even as Justine refuses to play the role of happy bride.   Claire’s husband (Keifer Sutherland) is wealthy, and used to having his own way so this acting out makes him really angry.

It is abundantly clear that Justine has deep emotional problems and issues and has hit a wall.  Besides she has spotted a strange red star in the sky that frightens her.  She “knows” things and one thing she knows is that it has to do with death. 

Everyone tells her there’s “no chance” it will.  Justine seems not to care about living anymore, so what’s a death star to her?   Dunst takes a risk in this unsympathetic part, and pulls it off in sensational style and she navigates a juicy arc beautifully. 

Melancholia was shot in Von Trier’s usual ground -  Trollhättan, Västra Götalands län, Sweden where he also made Dogville, Manderlay and Dancer in the Dark, familiar territory at home.  The stars come to him including the mostly American cast of Melancholia.

It’s not a particularly weird or big story, instead, it’s an intimate look at end days through one isolated, screwed up family.  It’s stylish, maddening, gorgeous and leaves you limp.

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35mm science fiction
Written and Directed by Lars Von Trier
Opens:  Nov. 11
Runtime: 136 minutes
MPAA:
Country: Denmark |Sweden |France |Germany
Language: English