Review of To the Wonder (2013) by Rainer K — 06 Aug 2013

A contemplative, almost dialogue-free movie on the workings of relationships. Required - an actor who can express a wealth of emotions through silence. Casting Ben Affleck = not a good idea. Badlands and The Tree of Life are two of my favourite films, but on the wooden Affleck's casting alone, I didn't have high hopes for this, and he lived down to my expectations.

But amazingly, Olga Kurylenko is even worse - trying to portray a tormented wife reaching to recapture her inner child, she skips about in the fields and genuinely seems to be going "full retard" at some points.

Someone badly needed to remind her she was playing an adult. She ends up as the opposite of the "manic pixie dream girl" - a sulky preening nightmare. Positives are the photography and sound, which are incredible and evocative, as always with Mr.

Malick. What Gus Van Sant does in 3 minute long shots, Malick does in 60 3-second shots. But the actors desperately need something to hold onto next time.. such as a script. 20 pages will do. Terrence can spin out the rest.

Cos what I thought worked perfectly in The Tree of Life fails completely here. He could have got more meaningful performances if he'd just filmed them secretly when they thought they were on a break.

Not suggesting that though. Into a creepy new era of film-making then! But the film looks beautiful and the moments with non-actors from the filming location are something I haven't seen before, so that gives something extra to it.

Just there's a gaping hole where characters should be, and a photography shoot with actors didn't take me "to the wonder". 4/10.