Review of 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (2007) by Ty H — 09 Sep 2008

An absolutely exhausting story about a couple of women and their quest for a late-term abortion.

The movie is extremely sparse and minimal. no music. the average for each shot-length must be massive. but be prepared for long shots of awkward silence or mundane conversation. even more so than a Gus Van Sant film. but every moment is laced with a palpable, building tension and pitch-perfect mood. and it's all pretty unflinchingly rough to watch. extremely well-made and edited. I can tell, by the shot lengths and timing that it must have taken a lot of time and care to get it right.

I do sort of wish the two main characters had been a bit more likeable. I couldn't muster a wombful of sympathy or empathy because one is an idiot and the other is a bit of a jerk, but as I said, the movie is so well-made I won't rate it any lower.

I guess you're able to make a film that celebrates homosexuality or illegal immigrants or any other hot issue in any given society, but I don't think you'll find any films showing abortion in any positive light. and this one is an extreme downer, folks. maybe that says something? I dunno.