Review of The Weight of Water (2001) by Ike O — 28 May 2008

I have to say it: 'Water' drowns under it's own weight. Pretentious, self-important, deadly dull and convoluted, it does have a smattering of good performances, led perhaps by Sarah Polley, who I personally don't care for. I watched this on assignment, and all I can say is that it's a good thing I like my job.

A potboiler with parallel narratives, it feels overdone but underthought, and it's climax is supposed to be this (sorry again) weighty conclusion that instead left me scratching my head b4 accepting it was finally over and I was free to go slit my wrists while I cradled in the corner looking catatonic (ok, not quite that bad - that was 'Transformers').

I like the actors (esp the underused and underrated Ciaran Hinds). I like the premise. I like the style and atmosphere. Now get me a proper scriptwriter and an editor not obsessed with dream-like flashbacks intended to be misleading yet revelatory (but end up repetitive), and you could actually have a half-decent movie here. Where's the shock if you know exactly how the 'mystery' from a hundred years ago unravels - in the first reel! Yet they unfurl it like it's surprising, and then slap on a deus ex machina storm and a conclusion that literally sinks the whole fiasco. Better late than never, I suppose.