Review of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) by Michelle W — 16 Jan 2010
A man shares his life story, coping with locked-in-syndrome, using only one eye.
The camera, a single lens, is used to show use exactly what Jean-Do is seeing. Sharing such intimacy with his character made this film so much stronger.
The film is gorgeous, whimsical fantasies lift the melancholy of hospitalisation. Lovely scenery, surreal narration, dreamlike. It tells us about life, how fragile it is, how strong the will to live is, how precious it is. There is always a reason to live, and for Jean-Do, even when locked in his own body realises that he still has his imagination, he still has his memories.
This is a beautiful film, in every way. Why I am not giving this five stars is a reason I cannot fathom. I want more, but what?
This review of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) was written by Michelle W on 16 Jan 2010.
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly has generally received very positive reviews.
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