Weekly Review -- Sex, lies and all the other fun stuff

Caché (2005) -- A portrait of a family caught up in the trauma of stalking. A reflection on primeval human emotions. A rumination on racially charged urban paranoia overwhelming France. There are not too many films that can be interpreted in numerous, equally plausible ways, and Michael Haneke's Caché is one of these rare finds.

Married couple Georges and Anne Laurent (Daniel Auteuil and Juliette Binoche) receive a video tape which shows their house under surveillance for two hours. Soon another tape arrives, and then another. The tapes seem to be digging into the past, frightening Georges and Anne more and more with each strategically placed shot. Slowly and meticulously, the mystery is ruining their lives and there is no way out.


**POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD**


The direction of the film is perfect. Caché plays out as a crisp, restrained thriller about everyday lives gone array. The eerily soundless shots of the family home, the helplessness of the Laurents and some rather unsettling images that hint at violence present a mystery that slowly develops into a relationship exposé. The tape enigma never even dips into over-the-top crime drama territory, focusing instead on the human psychological transformations that the intrusive videos provoke. Anne and Georges are both overworked and exhausted from the tedium of obligation. The tapes serve the purpose of waking these two people from their slumber and making them re-think their existence. The film's serene facade and the quiet suspense underneath are so powerful that one brutal scene comes as a shock to behold. On that note, I can honestly say that this scene is the most abrupt jolt I have had at the cinema in recent years.

The acting is excellent. Juliette Binoche is the standout among the cast, her character evolving from a woman bored with her routine to a woman who struggles desperately to keep it all from falling apart. Anne and Georges's dialogue about trust is one of the most memorable scenes in the film. Daniel Auteuil is believable as Georges, allowing us the occasional glimpse into the character's soul while he is trying to deal with a crisis. Maurice Bénichou is wonderful as Majid, and Annie Girardot has a very nice turn as Georges's mother, showing genuine concern but being unable to help.

The ethnocentric subtext adds to the film, particularly in the context of France's chaos of recent years. There are numerous events that suggest the Laurents' fear of the unknown, and the subtle xenophobia is nicely woven into the threat of the tapes. The politics of the film are never force-fed to the audience; instead, they represent a sign of the times in the context of a stalking.

The film is not only a psychological thriller, but a drama that shows how past, present and future can sometimes intersect to create a dead end street for those involved. I am glad that Caché has not ended up as a classic sneak-around-and-attack thriller, since its themes benefit from Haneke's analytical approach.

8/10


16 Blocks (2006) -- It is good if the screenplay for a crime drama follows the rules of its own logic. It is even better if it minds the actions of its characters, but this movie does neither. Burned-out cop Jack Mosley (Bruce Willis) needs to escort witness Eddie Bunker (Mos Def) safely to a courthouse. Bunker's impending testimony turns out to be a thorn in the side of certain people, so he and Mosley run into a number of difficulties on their way. The main problem with the movie are its gigantic plot holes and loose ends. For example, why does Jack not get rid of that darn phone? How come the bad guys pop up around every single corner? Where is the news crew requested? Things happen and the outcome is left dangling, while our suspension of disbelief is at the red hot maximum. The cast is well chosen, though. Bruce Willis is likeable 99% of the time in his films, and here he makes us empathize with his character's jaded sensibilities. Mos Def has enough charisma to act the whole movie out on his own, but his talents are wasted, since the screenplay does not ask much of him. Each of the characters is interesting; each is a good soul that has taken a few fatefully wrong turns in life. To top it off, Willis and Def have great on-screen chemistry, which leaves the viewer lamenting as to why their characters were not developed in greater detail. Overall, it is a pretty forgettable feature, but you could find worse ways to pass your time.

6/10