Review of The Life Before Her Eyes (2007) by Manon M — 11 Sep 2008

You really have to fancy psychological profundity if you want to love this movie. It totally expects from its audience to look very far beyond the line what totally fascinated me. The whole concept is simply disturbing and shakes you throughout the whole movie, leaving you destroyed in the end. It's actually less about the story itself: The massacre is just the basic, the whole movie goes around the personality of Diana and her inner conflicts, leaving you the message that life is a challenging success. On one hand the director gives the audience a picture of the sensuality of adolescence, and on the other the crushing weight of adulthood. The whole emotional strength is built up slowly until it is about to explode in the end.

What I also really enjoyed were the photographed details and the whole imagination around these simple objects. It's not the sense you have to search in there, more the dramatic feeling these detailled moments create.

Last but not least, Evan Rachel Wood's performance was mesmerizing. I couldn't have imagined someone better and I must say, she's one of the best actresses of our time. She plays the dreamy sensuality of her character in an absolute authentic and strong way. Absolutely great!!

There is actually a lot more to say about this movie as it really leaves a huge space for psychological interpretation. In the whole, The Life before her eyes is a haunting picture with a sense for strong emotions. Totally enjoyable.