Beau Travail
Reading the write-ups of this that are done, I'm wondering if you guys missed the whole point of the movie. Not that I know the point exactly, because I believe it's supposed to be largely ambiguous. I was familiar with the director because I've seen Trouble Every Day, which I didn't care for. You don't make a movie like that unless you are a provocative director. Knowing that, and seeing the poster, I thought ok I know where this is headed. When I put it on, I had completely forgotten about the director and the poster, but I quickly realized that this was indeed a
SPOILERS?
gay themed film. Yes there are a lot of short and seemingly meaningless scenes, but it's important to remember that everything is there for a reason. The director really does a brilliant job in trying to make it about the viewer. There are no outwardly gay characters, no romantic scenes, no talk of it, and no reveal. Well, there's sort of a reveal. The very last scene when Galoup is dancing by himself to that music is intended to make the viewer think or feel a certain way. The viewer might say wait a minute, is he gay? The success of the director is to say back, what about that makes him gay? But again, everything is done a certain way for a reason, just like that poster. The film plays on stereotypes while using a few of its own. Your average war/military film doesn't feature several short and seemingly meaningless scenes featuring young shirtless men, sometimes in short shorts, training or doing chores, sometimes touching each other in a certain way, while the camera focuses on their bodies. The director does a fantastic job playing with the viewer. Galoup reminds me of the Chris Cooper character from American Beauty, and coincidentally (or not?) they both look like they shaved with a jagged razor. Galoup hates the new guy, and it could be because the kid brings out his homosexual feelings, or it could be because he likes his commandant and is jealous that the commandant is impressed by the new guy, or it could be both or neither. It's all purposefully done to make the viewer wonder even after the credits roll. I think the director's larger and main objective is to make a viewer like me say this is a gay themed film so that someone else can say how do you know, maybe it's just you.
Beyond that this is a beautifully filmed movie with a nice authentic feel and strong performances. It's not entertaining as that's not the goal, but it also left me cold. Granted, there is no way to bring emotion like a Brokeback Mountain or a Moonlight, since ambiguity is the name of the game. I have to give it a positive rating because I think the director succeeds, but what's in it for me?
Reading the write-ups of this that are done, I'm wondering if you guys missed the whole point of the movie. Not that I know the point exactly, because I believe it's supposed to be largely ambiguous. I was familiar with the director because I've seen Trouble Every Day, which I didn't care for. You don't make a movie like that unless you are a provocative director. Knowing that, and seeing the poster, I thought ok I know where this is headed. When I put it on, I had completely forgotten about the director and the poster, but I quickly realized that this was indeed a
SPOILERS?
gay themed film. Yes there are a lot of short and seemingly meaningless scenes, but it's important to remember that everything is there for a reason. The director really does a brilliant job in trying to make it about the viewer. There are no outwardly gay characters, no romantic scenes, no talk of it, and no reveal. Well, there's sort of a reveal. The very last scene when Galoup is dancing by himself to that music is intended to make the viewer think or feel a certain way. The viewer might say wait a minute, is he gay? The success of the director is to say back, what about that makes him gay? But again, everything is done a certain way for a reason, just like that poster. The film plays on stereotypes while using a few of its own. Your average war/military film doesn't feature several short and seemingly meaningless scenes featuring young shirtless men, sometimes in short shorts, training or doing chores, sometimes touching each other in a certain way, while the camera focuses on their bodies. The director does a fantastic job playing with the viewer. Galoup reminds me of the Chris Cooper character from American Beauty, and coincidentally (or not?) they both look like they shaved with a jagged razor. Galoup hates the new guy, and it could be because the kid brings out his homosexual feelings, or it could be because he likes his commandant and is jealous that the commandant is impressed by the new guy, or it could be both or neither. It's all purposefully done to make the viewer wonder even after the credits roll. I think the director's larger and main objective is to make a viewer like me say this is a gay themed film so that someone else can say how do you know, maybe it's just you.
Beyond that this is a beautifully filmed movie with a nice authentic feel and strong performances. It's not entertaining as that's not the goal, but it also left me cold. Granted, there is no way to bring emotion like a Brokeback Mountain or a Moonlight, since ambiguity is the name of the game. I have to give it a positive rating because I think the director succeeds, but what's in it for me?