| I too am stunned by the collection of negative reviews here. Do those throwing tomatoes at "Saint Ange" have flicks like "Child's Play VII" or "Halloween XII" on their top ten lists? It would explain a lot. One wonders
Needless to say, the film is marvelous in numerous respects, many of them already mentioned: The photography is precise, the music is graceful and heavy-hearted, the acting is superb. Most importantly, the characters are smartly drawn against stereotypes; in fact, the most gut-wrenching aspect of this film is Anna herself.Anna is abused and <more> impregnated against her will; she is the character we are SUPPOSED to sympathize and identify with. She is downtrodden, used up and cast out of society and cast into isolation . This is the character we are supposed to root for, for God's sake. Anna is the underdog who we hope will escape harm and perhaps even flourish somehow.But this is a French film. OK, that's not fair, but the film isn't easy, folks. Ultimately, Anna is the one who does evil, in a way; she is the one who has lost her mind and is incredibly manipulative. She is the one who drowns innocent kittens because they remind her of the unwanted baby growing inside hera baby that she despises so much she punches herself forcefully in the gut to be rid of it. She loses her life, possibly unredeemed, and the life of her baby in the end.People who want predictability from their films take this sort of character-turn and think the film is betraying their trust. They don't like it.Indeed, this movie turns most of its characters upside down. Take Helenka, the cook. She is ultimately the very caring, matronly figure we should like. She wants to care for Anna; she wants to listen. She doesn't make Anna curtsy or wear a uniform. She keeps saying to Anna, "Relax, relax. If you want to smoke, then smoke." Yet, from Anna's twisted perspective, Helenka takes on a horrific countenance, and she believes she hears Helenka admit to killing children at the orphanage because of overcrowding. Terrible!Yet, in the end, Helenka is completely wrecked by the tragic death of Anna. She is deeply saddened, and it is clear that she really does care for the girls and wants the best for them. She is not evil; but Anna almost had me believing she was! But again, people like predictability from their films. They don't want characters who change from evil to good and back again. Like in reality. People don't like reality, I gather.And here's my theory: It is precisely because this movie turns its characters upside down that some people seem to dislike it so. Face it, people like Hollywood films that serve up the predictable, hot and juicy full of jump scares with big crashing soundtracks. We don't want to see unendurable pain ending in miseryle fin. Yes, maybe Anna does eventually learn to "love" her baby as some of final "nursing" shots seem to suggestbut she's dead at that point!! Dead!! That's not a Happy Meal kinda movie. That's the kind of movie I like. Anna, the character we are supposed to identify with, ends up losing her mind through her self-torment and kills herself and her baby. What a great, sad, spooky story! Gotta love it. <less> |
