Review of Morvern Callar (2002) by Kris K — 30 Nov 2008

A lot of the divided criticism on Morvern Callar is undoubtedly due to the high expectations the cinematic community unwittingly placed in Ramsay's path after her brilliant and cinematographically haunting debut, Ratcatcher.

Here, Ramsay is still intent on exploring issues of (Scottish) identity wherein protagonists feel trapped by their social and cultural circumstances. Although Morvern Callar is hardly the breathtaking piece of cinema that was Ratcatcher, Ramsay proves that she is deft with employing simplicity (e.

G., making the hum of electrical bulbs flicking on and off a topic of extreme interest for close to 10 minutes) and erudition to allow the viewer an inner glimpse of an impenetrable young woman, astoundingly played by Morton.

While cinematography might rightfully be said to be one of the major characters in and techniques of Ratcatcher, here Ramsay proves that editing, quick jumps, and even uncomfortable silence can convey narrative, meaning, and sense (however limited) to the audience in ways at which a director less talented would be certain to fail.