Review of The Piano Teacher (2001) by Andre S — 17 Dec 2011
Haneke's obsession with open ended narrative can be absolutely maddening and unbelievably fascinating. And in the case of 'The Piano Teacher' it goes beyond fascinating. Isabelle Huppert is an absolute force here.
When she does certain acts in this film, there is an excited fascination in her face that just blew my doors off. Benoit Magimel deserves praise for doing more than just filling the space when on screen with Huppert.
There are some scenes in here that are tough to take. But Haneke doesn't flinch and more impressively most of the brutal things that take place on screen aren't shown off or stylized, they just happen.
The way Haneke leaves questions unanswered and character motivations at the door, it forces you to think about Huppert's character. The only flaw with the film is it's so disturbing that revisiting the film in your mind or even a second viewing is a hurdle in itself.
This review of The Piano Teacher (2001) was written by Andre S on 17 Dec 2011.
The Piano Teacher has generally received very positive reviews.
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