Review of The Piano (1993) by Berc — 25 May 2016

The artistic medium of film is very subjective. Every audience member has a different set of criteria they use to measure their viewing experience. Not everyone shares the same set of criteria. If we did, what a bland and uninspired world this would be.

What I Personally Liked About "The Piano":

The visual tone of this film was magnificent. Muted colors painting the canvas with their earthen forests and beaches, creating a sumptuous living space for the characters to stalk through. I also enjoyed the performances of Harvey Keitel, Anna Paquin and Holly Hunter. The latter particularly impressed by portraying a very nuanced role without the benefit of verbal language to see her through. The fact that Hunter also played most of the wonderful piano pieces herself amazes even more.

What I Personally Disliked About "The Piano":

While Sam Neill does his best with the role, the character of Alisdair Stewart seems a bit underdeveloped in my eyes. He never quite lives up to the characters who surround him in this film. There's also a general feeling of detachedness between the writer/director and her audience members. It's like Jane Campion doesn't want us getting too close to her own emotional state regarding the events she depicts. Not having read her accompanying novel, I am unsure if this distance was corrected in that medium or not. I also have one or two small nitpicks with the pacing of the film. Sometimes Campion rushes through segments which would have benefitted from a bit more depth while other times she painfully stretches out moments which should have been edited down.

My Overall Impression of "The Piano":

It may seem as though there are more dislikes for me than likes in "The Piano," however the good does outweigh the bad where this film is concerned. Though it is not a piece I would watch on a regular basis, I am still glad I saw the film and I could also see myself returning for a repeat viewing a few years down the road.