A Hidden Life

Watching A Hidden Life feels like both going to church and performing penance, like Terrence Malick wants us to submit to the same ideological journey as his protagonist.

A Hidden Life is definitely on the long side, and there will be people whose patience may be exhausted, but if you give yourself over to it, it's a moving, emotional film with truly breathtaking visuals and wonderful performances.

There is no doubt that A Hidden Life is a labour of love for Malick, but it will prove a challenge for audiences willing to experience the latest work of this most interesting and wayward director.

How does someone retain their innocence in an inescapably dark time? It's a painful question, but [Terrence] Malick's film is brave enough to ask it.

The drama lacks inner tension. Rather than wrestling with himself, as other Malick heroes do, Franz remains a noble waxwork helplessly true to his own convictions.

Malick links the lonely labour of working the land with the thanklessness of sainthood, asking questions about devotion, tradition and individual acts of resistance.

A Hidden Life is a refusal to accept violence and depravity as man’s natural state. That in the larger scheme of things, this steadfast dedication to one’s moral causes, unwavering in their fortitude, will outlast any temporary evil.

A beautiful looking film that will be loved by anyone who enjoys Terrence Malick's films.

Perhaps Terrence Malick should continue working among the trees and the mountains rather than skyscrapers.

There's a lot to say yet so very little... [Full review in Spanish]