Review of Upstream Color (2013) by Jonathan S — 27 Apr 2013

The task of explaining a film like Upstream Color is arduous. Director and co-star Shane Carruth has crafted a film that is perplexing, at times frustrating and bereft of dialogue, but it is also one of the most beautifully hypnotic viewing experiences in ages. Taking cues from Terrence Malick and Richard Kelly, Upstream Color looks like a combination of Tree of Life and Donnie Darko, films that place more importance on how the film looks and feels instead of what it conveys. Because of that, Carruth is a director who can be considered a visionary in just his second feature film.

Upstream Color is Carruth's first project in nine years and follows up the critically successful Primer. With Primer, Carruth presented a sci-fi time travel piece that left many viewers scratching their heads. Refusing to take it easy on his audience, Upstream Color is a bold step forward - more refined, less linear film than Primer, but still retains the, "What the hell?" quality of his debut. Carruth also serves as producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, editor and even composer, putting him in total control.

Amy Seimetz plays Kris, and her world turns upside down when she is abducted by a man known only as the Thief (Thiago Martins). The Thief's intentions are purely criminal as he forces Kris to ingest a worm. This worm has the ability to render its host a submissive and the Thief takes advantage by casually instructing her to turn over all her savings to him. To protect his identity the Thief instructs her to turn away and not look at him directly because he, "â?¦was born with a disfigurement where my head is made of the same material as the sun." Itâ??s this comment that reinforces the power of this â??leechâ?? the Thief forced into Kris and helps to capture the audienceâ??s attention.

Itâ??s after the Thief leaves Kris that standard narrative dissappears. Kris comes out of her trance and becomes aware of the creature crawling around in her body. Her attempts to cut herself to remove the worm are unsuccessful. At this point the inscrutable Sampler (Andrew Sensenig) appears and removes the worm for her, transferring it to another vessel - a pig, and for unexplained reasons Kris and the pig are connected on an almost celestial level.

With the worm removed, Kris is left to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. Kris, though, is lost emotionally and merely a shell of her former self. A businessman named Jeff (Carruth) comes into the picture and the pair is drawn together. Jeff is mysterious, and at times displays traits which infer he went through a similar experience. Jeff's intentions seem noble, though, and he begins a relationship with Kris that may help repair the damage in both their lives.

Performance-wise both Amy Seimetz and Shane Carruth are mesmerizing. Carruth plays Jeff as cool and casual, but when the time calls for it he's aggressive and confident, even when his character isn't. The light shines brightly on Seimetz, and although the worm seemingly took much of her personality from her, she does well to convey scant hope in her eyes, all of which is buried beneath a scared and paranoid person.

Upstream Color seems to be a commentary on society and its disconnect from the simplicity and beauty of life. Things like being out in the open air, being one with nature and the symbiosis between human and animal are tossed aside for syncing our cell phones to our social calendars and cueing up the DVR for the latest episode of the day's most popular show.

Upstream Color is science fiction, horror, thriller and love story all at the same time. Its narrative doesnâ??t travel from point A to point B - it goes off on tangents that only serve to provide more questions from the audience. Carruth, if that was his intent, has mastered it in both this and Primer. From that perspective his direction is on a level reserved for only the greats.

For all of its beauty and grandeur, Upstream Color is an incredibly confusing but densely layered film that evokes feelings and emotions, not thoughts. Shane Carruth has provided a gateway to an unchartered world, and he dares you to take the journey without as much as a compass to guide you. That underlying dare is the fine line that will define Carruth as either a true artist or a pretentious hack. This film forces you to drop what you know about movies and allows you to trust your instincts. And if you do trust your faculties you will take part in something that is very special and visceral, even if it goes against what you know to be normal. JV.