Review of Tetro (2009) by Nik B — 26 Jul 2009
Coppola is calling this the most beautiful film he's ever done. And I'm going to agree with him. FFC has made a very European new wave style drama. Set and filmed in Argentina, this is one of those movies where they talk about the shots being "crafted".
Very purposefully, the camera may be angled in such a way, for example, to film the reaction of the main participants while someone behind the camera enters the room through a door that is seen in a mirror on the wall.
The lighting composes specific shapes on the faces and bodies of the characters while their irrelevant appendages flail in the shadow. While primarily in black and white, color is used very obviously to indicate a flashback, but also very brilliantly when reenacting a story line through a dance production.
Coppola may pull a Best Director or at least a Best Art Direction Oscar. One thing he's not going to get, though, is the screenplay Oscar. The older brother ran away and left the younger brother abandoned with a heartless old rich father.
When the plot seam is sewn together, it felt like we could have come to a less obvous conclusion. And then the last 15 minutes simply did not need to happen at all. But regardless, see it for the beauty of it.
And, oh yeah, Vincent Gallo doesn't actually ruin it. Go figure.
This review of Tetro (2009) was written by Nik B on 26 Jul 2009.
Tetro has generally received positive reviews.
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