Review of The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989) by Nick O — 31 Jan 2013
The riskiest bit in a film entirely of naughty, risky bits comes in a final scene of confrontation which could easily be assessed as exploitative. It's also the last straw in a movie full of 'em for highbrow Cannes critics more than ready to write off "The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover", writer-director Peter Greenaways unabashedly repellent black comedy, and a masterpiece of cruelty, Shakespearean satire, and what constitutes art.
Is it grit? Caveat? Intelligence? Nope. It's power. It's saying no to being timid and tame. By that standard "Cook" shatters any and all illusion of cinematic candor. Why pander and spoon-feed what red-hot tensions Greenaway can bite tooth and nail?
This review of The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989) was written by Nick O on 31 Jan 2013.
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover has generally received very positive reviews.
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