Edgar Cochran ✝️’s review published on Letterboxd:
***The ElCochran90 Discord Server 's Watch Party Redeem #71***
**Recommended by ollie.**
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The apotheosis of guilt-ridden confabulation and spiritual altercations where the depth of the implications of every soul surpasses the superficiality of a luxurious, accommodated suburban life where the main high-class concern is not having enough hot dogs.
I humbly use this cinematic piece as a reminder, or maybe as a space for others to learn just like I did once, that persōna is originally a Latin word that originally meant "the mask of the actor" or "theater character". The current meaning association we attribute to the word persōna is "person", as in Spanish, "persona", which refers to the individual existence of a human being; this modern concept was originated due to Christology controversies trying to define existence also within a spiritual sphere around the 4th and 5th Century A.C. The spiritual debate was after the Bible was completed as the full revelation of God's written Word, for which no one should add to it, nor extract from it, closing the formation of the first universal church and bringing several temporary gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as tongues, healing and prophecy, to their conclusion, and leaving the rest for leading a spiritual life under the Gospel and God's now-fully-revealed Word. Under this context, Christology aimed at defining human existence not as something fake, nor considering life as a big stage, but attempting to make a connection between human essence and Λóγος [Logos (Word)], who is Christ Himself, and how we connect to God as His creation.
In here, two souls are metaphysically aligned by numbers and non-tangible desires, fantasies, guilt and spiritual parallelisms: Elizabeth reenacts the tabloid scandal of Gracie at the same age Gracie molested a minor, mirrors and reflections are scattered throughout the film so that we only see through reflections as both function as an undesired reflection of each other, and impossible lighting schemes invade in-door locations with an ominous aura.
There are even amusing extrapolations to real life that can be used as observational clues, unintended or not: the current age gap between Natalie Portman (who deserved a Best Actress award this year, but imagine talking about the Oscars for the nth time) and Juliane Moore is 20 years, approximately the time gap between Elizabeth's visit and Gracie's relationship with a minor. Also, during filming, Portman started to emulate Moore's mannerisms, something Moore realized halfway through.
Yes, the Swedish auteur titan is vivid and present, but also Altman, who previously multiplied this concept by 1.5, resulting in his best film. However, there is a cynical fusion between Cinemax-like suburban TV melodrama and arthouse components of the highest quality and a piano score so overdone that it's begging loudly to be loved, and I do, for all the camp and not serious reasons.
Nowadays, this is a very strange case in my film trajectory, but this film took two viewings to confirm my rating and final review.
88/100
