MovieChat Forums > Miss Julie (2014) Discussion > So very depressing

So very depressing

posted 9 years ago by orignlsinz
11 replies | jump to latest

An utterly depressing tale about two deeply tragic and damaged characters whose actions only destroy each other further. Both trapped in an impossibly rigid class system that prevents them from living the lives that they desire. As unhappy as I am with the many dysfunctions of modern Western civilization, I am ever so grateful to not have been born into the suffocating social conventions of the 19th Century, in which this narrative takes place. Despite the beautiful telling of this story, it leaves one feeling only enraged and depressed by the time it reaches its inevitable conclusion. This is a one time watch as far as I am concerned.

[–] Oskiros-Arg 9 years ago

Yes..!! beautiful...but so so depressing :(

Oscar
Hablo mejor español :)

[–] Casey45 9 years ago

Yes, it is a one time watch. The performances were great, though. Colin Farrell was excellent! Don't know why people always complain about him.

[–] ofumalow 9 years ago

Well, it's Strindberg. He didn't write about happy people.

[–] BB-15 8 years ago

The story became sad but it didn't start that way. It went from one genre to another.
- It started as almost a comedy of manners between the spoiled mistress of the house who torments the servants, especially the valet, with teasing and flirting.
- Then the valet thinks he has turned the tables on the lady of the house by bedding her. The story then shifts to a working class defeats the aristocracy theme. And the servant is going to take charge and control the rest of their lives as operators of a hotel in Switzerland.
- Then comes the shock for the valet. The mistress of the house is mentally unstable and is contemplating suicide. The servant is shocked as the story becomes a psycholigical drama. What is this man going to do with this woman?
And if they don't run away, how can this daughter of a Baron survive in a world which prizes virginity before a wedding and marriage within the noble class?
- Then comes a choice presented by the moral kitchen servant who tells the 'lover' valet; come to church, ask for forgiveness, leave the house together to lead respectable lives and get other jobs.
But the valet doesn't want to leave. And it becomes clear that his problem could be solved if the lady of the house is no longer alive.
She's suicidal. And so he helps nudge her decision to kill herself.
- So the final act almost becomes a murder story, as the exhausted, confused woman goes along with the suggestions of the selfish servant.

* While it's a filmed play and scenes were often static, the script kept me guessing which I enjoyed.
Also it had good performances.
7/10

BB ;-)

it is just in my opinion - imo - 🌈

[–] hhawkins-74227 8 years ago

I agree with you that it was depressing, but I don't think John ever felt anything like love for Miss Julie. I think he took advantage of her and at the end, when faced with reality and "now," he took the easy way out by sending Miss Julie off to slit her wrists.

I want to add that I thought Miss Julie had a mental illness from Scene One. Something was wrong with her, and John took advantage of it.

[–] benman46 8 years ago

Actually you want to read the original text, which was quite heavily cut for the film, which will tell you all you need to know about Julie.

[–] hawkinssouth 8 years ago

Let's imagine I don't want to read the book ... What might I have learned about Julie?

[–] benman46 8 years ago

Let's not imagine that.

[–] hawkinssouth 8 years ago

Okay, then I will just continue to understand Julie based on what I saw in the movie.

[–] rubirub 8 years ago

I haven't read the play and I won't read it anyway, since I didn't enjoy the movie at all, but I'll explain my point of view about it.

Miss Julie isn't in her right mind from the very beginning of the movie, she enjoys torturing the service in an malicious way at least.

Through the movie, she is played by John, who takes advance of her naivety, dishonours her and gets revenge of her and her social class somehow, taking her mental illness to the limit.

She ends up losing her mind and taking her life.

I wonder what would have happened after the movie ended and Julie's father arrived...

It's very depressing, yes, and I found the movie very long, boring and unnecessary, like the original play, I guess, but I can understand the story and her madness from that time period point of view.

Not my cup of tea.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

LOL!