Tuesday, September 16, 2008

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) Review

Honestly, I'm really split over this movie.

On the one hand, I found it quite boring. It's the story of a paralyzed man in a wheelchair who decides to write a book about his experience. I'm an action movie fan; how interesting could this really be?

However, the film's stunning cinematography is what makes this film worthwhile. A goodly majority of the film is shot from the first-person perspective of Jean-Do, chronicling his condition - and his innermost thoughts - in an incredibly unique way.

Really, it is this first-person perspective that makes the film work. If told from the traditional third-person view, it would most likely have been a singularly boring two-hour snorefest. Instead, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly immerses viewers in the unique perspective and situation of a man who can only communicate with his left eyelid. Truly an eye-opening experience for the audience, I definitely must reccomend it, if only for the truly magnificent cinematography.

3 comments:

Kevin M said...

I think you're right that the style in which this movie was shot is its defining feature. My suspicion is not so much that the movie would be boring if it were shot conventionally, but that it would be nauseatingly sentimental and sappy.

Sam Austin said...

I'll have to check this out.

Unknown said...

It was still incredibly boring!