Review of Upstream Color (2013) by Courtney K — 13 Jul 2013

It took nearly 10 years for Shane Carruth to make another film after the simplistic on it's approach but highly cerebral Primer. It's accessibility was thrown out of the window once you got lost on it's plot devices but it was always something fascinating to endure.

Upstream Color is not easier but it's more appealing on the senses and rewards with multiple viewings. It also has a lot of heart and passion, never treating us like idiots.

The narrative is loose and abstract on it's approach but progresses in a linear fashion. If you pay enough attention you get some wickedly gorgeous moments and you start to "get" this world. It's also poetic, romantic and appealing, despite all the oddity surrounding it.

I would be lying if I said I got all the literature references it makes, but on multiple viewings I got something different out of it and out of all of those, Upstream Color always felt fresh, different and unique on it's own right.

Let's just hope it doesn't take another 10 years for Shane to do something else.