Review of Upstream Color (2013) by Joe H — 05 Apr 2014

As I discussed elsewhere, I really liked this film -- just not as unreservedly as most of the people I've talked to (and whose opinions I deeply respect). There are aspects of this film that are absolutely flawless...

But I'm in the middle of re-watching it, and I still stand by my initial impression. I think the film begs the viewer to sympathize with the plight of its characters -- through its depictions of personal anguish, its deeply subjective photography, etc., -- but at the same time, the lack of character development creates a certain detachment from the characters that seems to me to be unintended by the director, or at least incongruous with other elements of the film.

There is a lot I really admire about this work; it's just not a personal favorite.