Self-healing of neuroses. Review ”You were never here”
Scottish director Lynn Ramsey rarely pleases viewers with her work: for nearly twenty years, she has shot only four films, interspersed with short films. To moviegoers, Lynn is known primarily as a screenwriter and director of the drama with Tilda Swinton and Ezra Miller "Something Wrong With Kevin." The premiere of her latest work, You Were Never There, took place at the Cannes Film Festival almost a year ago, while our picture came out quite recently. The tape won the nominations for Best Actor and Best Screenplay.The main character, Joe, is unsociable, loner and almost a recluse. As a skilled mercenary, he makes his living by providing unusual services and engaging in dark deeds. A seemingly simple order to rescue the senator's daughter from an illegal men's club turns into a series of unexpected events that Joe cannot stop. Overcoming misadventures, he seeks to save the girl and thereby gains salvation for himself.  Perhaps a great start for some action thriller by Ridley Scott, especially when it comes to his later work. The result would be an acute confrontation between the parties, the intricacies of the plot and an instructive ending - a good, solid movie, which is not a pity to spend time on. But Lynn Ramsey, given the same initial data, produced a completely different work, more personal and introspective. Events, the development of history and, in general, all external factors serve only as a skeleton of the plot, which acts as a scenery and a background for the main thing in the picture - Joe's inner world. The authors have a lot to turn around: the main character suffers from childhood upheavals associated with problems in the family, and post-traumatic stress syndrome received during the service. Nightmares from the past not only interfere with a normal life, but completely change his worldview and personality, making him more rude, callous and closed. Nevertheless, deep in his soul, Joe retains the ability to empathy and a sense of justice, which, despite the apparent contradiction, is quite characteristic of this type of character. He is not alien to compassion, care and even humor. Mildred from "Three Billboards" by Martin McDonagh and Leon from the thriller of the same name by Luc Besson can be cited as examples of similar characters.  Joe does not cling to life, although he does not allow opponents to kill him. He plays with death by trying on rails and throwing a knife. He fantasizes and reflects, not really intending to do something with himself. At least, there is no catalyst for this yet. The only one who is dear to him and who can make him laugh is an elderly mother. Joe laments over the inhuman actions of people and, having an inner moral compass, tries to resist this dirt in his own way. In the senator's daughter, Nina Votto, he sees not just a child in need of help, but an opportunity to redeem and partially balance the suffering and pain he had previously encountered. And perhaps, even unconsciously, it acquires meaning in the girl for further existence.  From the start, the film grabs attention and whips up the atmosphere with an original soundtrack by Radiohead guitarist Johnny Greenwood (Phantom Thread, Oil), written in the spirit of experimental rock and non-blues. The set, like everything else, is served without details. Some of the circumstances of Joe's life, and indeed the storylines and motives of others, will remain behind the scenes. The question of whether they are needed is rather controversial. On the one hand, as already mentioned, the plot is secondary here, on the other hand, the character without a background and the experience following it will not be fully formed and deep. Despite the small gaps in the hero's story, his character is revealed gradually and subtly. Flashbacks do not dump a lot of information, like a belated introduction, but only suggest thoughts. In the second half of the tape, attention from the inner Joe rushes to the outside - there are more events that unfold faster. Action movie elements enter the stage.  Lynn Ramsey's work is filled with elegant couplings: a mother prank and a bedside scene where audiences hope for a joke again, green candy and peas in the dining room near the end that bring the protagonists together. These are beautiful details, reminiscent of the excellent, also visually, Tom Ford's film "Under Cover of Night". There are also more specific scenes: they directly and without hesitation put pressure on pity, but at the same time do not contain subtle solutions. But overall, the picture is carefully thought out and well presented. If not Aesopian language, then the high cinematography is read even on brick walls. The brightest were definitely two scenes: a vocal duet with an intruder and immersion in water. Both reflect Joe's mentality and critical inner choices as much as possible. Joaquin Phoenix coped with the embodiment of the mournful frown of the protagonist quite satisfactorily. But the overall impression of the image is slightly spoiled by the deliberate gait of a boogey and some minor inappropriate manners. But Ekaterina Samsonova in the role of the daughter of an official, despite the lack of experience, did not disappoint at all. Composure and vulnerability blend harmoniously on her young face.  Critics were quick to name this film the successor to the cult Taxi Driver. It is undeniable that Ramsey adopted and used Scorsese's techniques in many ways. This is a plot tied to political figures, and a structure, and the presence of an afterword, and many visual details (for example, an abundance of taxis), and plans for a night city, and that very look in the rearview mirror. But “You were never here” differs in the main thing, and this main thing, ironically, is not entirely included in the timing: how the hero came to this life and these events, and how he came out of them. Travis Bickle tried to establish contact with society and watched the decaying night city for a long time before declaring war on it. Whereas Joe was indifferent to the commotion, and external circumstances prompted him to act. Travis began to go crazy, and Joe approached the problem consciously, although he was not mentally healthy. For Joe, a happy ending has come, because he acquires meaning, purpose and friend, while Travis to the end of his story made just another circle in a closed world, as the director and screenwriter of Taxi Driver once said. Therefore, “You've never been here” is an independent and holistic (albeit with many references and borrowings) product that is worth attention in itself, and not as a successor or interpretation. The Topic of Article: Self-healing of neuroses. Review ”You were never here”. |
