The Souvenir

Were I objectively rating this, 1-star would perhaps be harsh. There is interesting raw material here in terms of theme and form. The latter, using a fragmented, transitory and opaque style, was by no means unsuccessful. Unfortunately it was a bit too pleased with itself for doing it. It deliberately jumps through time, requiring the viewer to fill in the gaps. This is fine but, given the film is style over substance, it makes the emotional aspect feel self-indulgent and detached. The film also does the pathos in a way that is simultaneously light yet heavy-handed, the film equivalent of spending two hours to look like you've 'just thrown something on'. Overall it's a film that's far less than the sum of its parts. By the end I positively despised it and I rate it accordingly.

Wonderful acting - reminds me of some good French movies - I love the subtle interaction between the characters

The story's presentation is mediocre, failing to reach the attainability of a profound statement and pulling together enough of its production elements that would alienate my attention as a viewer. My interpretation of the movie is a semi-biographical account that wants to swim in the deep end of the pool of emotional feelings and intellectual thought. Still, it hasn't been fully developed yet and can only reach the waist-high end of the swimming pool.

Id rather watch Mr. Bean.

Sometimes I'm reminded that professional reviewers get paid to sit through a film, and even if the film is bad (and this one is bad,) the fact that it's different than most films is significantly interesting enough that it piques the interest of the professional reviewers. But as a consumer, I have to admit that I would like to have the 40 minutes of my life that I invested into this movie refunded. It was just so painfully boring, I gave up. And I can really enjoy slow moving thoughtful films - this one is just slow moving.

I found it difficult to follow what was going on. It often wasn't clear how much Julie knew about Anthony's manipulations. E.g. all of a sudden she's bursting into tears in a hotel room; is it because she suspects something? Then why did she agree to go in the first place? Later she accuses him of something and he goes on some tangent about a car bomb and I have no idea what he's talking about or if she's falling for it. I appreciate that the film didn't heap on exposition like we're complete idiots, but this went too hard in the other direction.

Solid if predictable film about multiple kinds of addiction.

Being co-dependent with a heroin addict is not love. And the protagonist never learns her lesson.

The critics might like it. I didn't.

Hogg isn't playing by the typical rules of a coming of age drama, which makes "The Souvenir" feel more raw and honest than you'd expect.