MovieChat Forums > The Loneliest Planet (2013) Discussion > Beautiful and Haunting

Beautiful and Haunting

posted 11 years ago by Sonmi
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This was a searing portrait of that moment in a relationship, even if unspoken, when nothing can ever be the same again. Beautifully shot and tremendously insightful about shame and the fallibility of untested love. It also calls into question the traditional notion of gender roles. Would we have the same reaction if the roles were reversed, regarding the specific moment of truth in this film?

It's illuminating, if not altogether surprising, to see that most of the talk is pertaining to Bernal's action in that moment. For me, it was Furstenberg's actions following that moment that were most infuriating, the way she tortured him without words for the rest of the film. In fact, this may have been Loktev's way of turning traditional gender roles on their head. Clearly Bernal's character failed his role as protector, and Furstenberg's character failed her role as forgiver/nurturer.

[SPOILER...] Her wretching in the middle of having sex in the penultimate scene can be interpreted as the symbolic manifestation of this failure.

A small but profound near-masterpiece

8.5/10

[–] wiebejammen 11 years ago

Ohhhh, please, stop with the pedantic review. Watching people hike against, by the way, an unattractive backdrop, for hours then a blip of a climax that barely hits the radar?

Why didn't the guy ask "WHY"? "WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THAT BULLSHYTE?", "WHAT WAS THAT AHOLE'S PROBLEM?', ETC., The whole thing was never mentioned again. Wouldn't the audience want to understand the skirmish? Why did the kid flip out on the girl? Why didn't the weenie boyfriend say something to her afterwards. Like, oh, I don't know, beg for forgiveness?

What a snooze.

Can you explain that to me on a fifth grade level, so everybody else will get it?.

[–] Sonmi 11 years ago

Come again? Are you sure you know what that word means? You having a differing opinion regarding a particular film does not make the opposing view pedantic.

The film didn't work for you, that's your prerogative. Why do you have a problem with someone liking a film that you didn't? Do you deny the possibility that there were other conclusions or interpretations of the film that you did not reach? You may want a film to explain everything to you, to lay out a character's motivations and intentions for you in black and white. Others appreciate depth and ambiguity that allow the audience to interpret things for themselves.

This is an art film. I understand that even quite a few fans of art films did not like this movie, and that's fine. It simply worked for me, as I tried to explain in my short review. Cheers

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] El_Guapo_Caballo 11 years ago

Its perfectly ok that you appreciated multiple layers in this flick, just try not to sound so impossibly pedantic when stating so.

[–] jason2-2 11 years ago

There are moments in every relationship that are nearly impossible to address head-on and directly.

This is true for everyone I've ever discussed this with... and this movie is about that moment, and that difficulty.

Every one of those moments is easily destroyed per analysis, but there's something about them that persists, a heaviness in the chest, or a block in the gut.

To me, the movie was true.

[–] PoppyTransfusion 11 years ago

Would we have the same reaction if the roles were reversed, regarding the specific moment of truth in this film?

No. There are many reasons why it would lack resonance but if we focus on the film itself: Early on both Alex and the guide, Dota, are shown looking after Nica, or offering her help. She quite often refused said help saying she was 'fine' or 'quite strong'. The scene in the film undermines her faith in herself as much as that of her fiancee, who in turn has undermined his sense of self.

As to Nica's behaviour afterwards: It's clear she is passing through a gamut of emotions. Initially stunned, then angry and rejecting, then concillatory (offering the fruit) and then she feels rejected. The incident finds its emotional repeat when she later falls crossing the stream. She doesn't reach for Alex then but Dota, who is first to react. So I find your perception that 'she tortured him' to have missed out on lots that was happening to each of them and between them afterwards.

If ever a moment called for talking it was the gun incident. The 3 of them should have had time to pause and talk about what happened. However the power of such moments creates the opposite effect and people retreat into themselves and busy themselves in another activity, grateful to forget what just occurred.

Her wretching in the middle of having sex in the penultimate scene can be interpreted as the symbolic manifestation of this failure.

There was more to this as well. One, she had just endured an uncomfortable kiss with Dota. Two, she asked Alex to stop and he did. Three, he helped her whilst she was being sick and we see them settled to sleep with one another afterwards. That moment is another time when she needs help and this time she is met by Alex. It helped restore something however brief.

Away with the manners of withered virgins