Review of Upstream Color (2013) by Daniel L — 06 Jun 2013

"What is a human being when it is stripped of it's individuality?".

Upstream Color isn't a film that attempts to answer this question, rather it is a film that actively discusses the question with the audience. What do you do when you wake up to find that you've done something that will shake the very foundations of your life? To add to the dilemma, what do you do when you find out that you have no conscious memory of ever doing it?

Upstream Color is the story of two characters, drawn to each other by a seemingly invisible force, and unbeknownst to them, a shared experience. It is about how the characters deal with the aftermath of truly life-altering events, the loss of their grip on reality, their own identities, and their attempt to support one another through feelings they can't explain.

Through the use of an inventive plot device, Shane Carruth takes us through a mysterious, romantic, and thrilling story of human connection and identity. This film's portrayal of the story through beautiful extreme close up shots of nature and the human body (most prominently the hands) mixed with the narrative of Jeff and Kris's unfitting, yet somehow appropriate relationship, is visceral and beautiful on every level.

Upstream Color is a film that everyone can enjoy. A film that encourages the viewer to put the pieces together themselves, and one that causes the viewer to contemplate life, nature, and individuality.