Review of Safe (1995) by Dorian J — 09 Mar 2010

"SAFE" is, in my mind, one of the most terrifyibg and intriguing films ever made, along with "Requim For A Dream." There is not a monster or killer but when I saw this at an art house theatre in 1995, I was frightened out of my wits.

I couldn't breathe and was truly terrified. It sits firmly at number 4 on my list of 10 favorite films of all time. You're probably thinking Whats the Deal, right? The film tells the story of suburban housewife Carol White (the astounding Julianne Moore), a very rich married woman who has the best of everything, Fancy House, rich husband, glitzy friends - in a phrase - the perfect life.

But all of a sudden something begins happening to Carol. She finds herself slowly becoming allergic to everything. Perfume, gas fumes, beauty salons, dry cleaners, her friends, her husband. I literally mean everything.

One day she sees an infomercial that calls this MCS or multiple chemical sensitivity. Now theres even a clinic where people who suffer from this disease can go and live and hopefully get treatment. Her regular doctors can find nothing at all wrong with her so she decides to visit Wrenwood, the facility, and see if there is any help at all for her.

This place is filled with people who suffer from this "disease." But the question is - is there anything wrong with these people or are they just nuts? The answer is left up to the viewer because by the end of the film, Carol is practically a vegetable.

The director of the film, Todd Haynes, is I think one of the most brilliant and imaginative filmmakers working today. He also directed 1991's brilliant but bizarre "Poison," the beautiful 2002 ode to director Douglas Sirk "Far From Heaven," and most recently "I'm Not There" which had actors like Heath Ledger, Cate Blanchett, Richard Gere etc all playing different versions of Bob Dylan.

This film is hard to watch, harrowing and also spellbinding; it takes an actress like Moore to carry this movie off and she is amazing. If you haven't seen this film I would wholeheartedly reccommend you see it.

You will either be completely drawn in or you will hate the film. It's obvious I'm a lover of this film and I swear ever time I see it I get claustrophobic and have trouble breathing. The film was released by Sony Pictures Classics.

rated R.