Sound and Fury

Jean-Claude Brisseau #1

In parts dark and poetic, in parts realistic, harsh and depressingly sunlit. The ending scene is beautiful.

Some of the things that made La vie comme ca interesting have found their way into this film, but this is a far more integrated treatment of them. And Brisseau has also lost the feeling of a patchwork of influences completely. While still present, a very interesting style of his own has taken control.

i watched this partly because it's on pinkerton's s&s list, and his review contains some good lines: "a feral, outlandish movie that purged his suburban experiences" | "what endorsement of culture has been so eloquent on the ecstasy of its absence?" | "In a hostile country of stained concrete surrounded by bare trees, planted all at once and too close together, Brisseau discovered an ineffable moral landscape, his own Monument Valley."

Quite good troubled youth movie, if not at all times convincing. Some of the acting is a little dodgy and there's a certain rigidity that seems detrimental to an aspiringly realist film, especially during action scenes. There are also abrupt flourishes of symbolism and fantasy, which are awkward (e.g. the weak ending). On the plus side, consistently interesting plotting and an ever-looming sense of danger make it an edgy watching experience worthy of recommendation.