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That is a fairly liberal translation of one sentence from the poem Liberté, from Paul Éluard. The poem is a repetitive proclamation of the idea of "liberty", either from obsessive love (according to Éluard's own words) or from oppression of any kind (which is why it was heavily used as propaganda during the French Revolution). Its essence sits at the core of this film, where it's quoted and referenced often, as most characters crave and seek freedom from various metaphorical "chains".
Maps to the Stars follows Agatha Weiss (Mia Wasikowska), a mysterious young woman that arrives at Los Angeles and seeks employment with Havana Segrand (Julianne Moore), an aging, washed-up actress struggling to face the truth about her career. Unbeknownst to Havana, Agatha's real intentions are to get close to Benjie (Evan Bird), a problematic child star dealing with his own problems.
The thing is that both Havana and Benjie are captive by expectations and failed dreams; from the struggles of "old" age and mature actresses in Hollywood, to the plights and pressures put on child stars that don't have the maturity to handle it. The contrast of both trying to be liberated from the oppression of the Hollywood system is quite interesting, while also extending to other peripheral characters, including driver/wannabe-actor Jerome (Robert Pattinson) that are as captive as them.
The arrival of Agatha comes to shake things up, and her constant quoting of Éluard's poem puts her as somewhat of a "bringer" of liberty, even if it's for all the wrong reasons, in all the wrong ways. Her "chains" are more of a troubled childhood, mental health, trauma, and an obsessive love for which she is seeking liberation, even if it's "on the stairs of Death".
Even though it takes place in and around Hollywood, with characters coming and going out of expensive mansions and stores, and walking into movie sets, Cronenberg does a great job of stripping everything of its glamour. The Hollywood he presents us is morally decayed, dirty, jaded, and corrupt, and all the characters are caught in it.
All of the performances are great, with Moore being quite the scene stealer (if you can say that about Moore). Wasikowska was pretty good too, even if I would've liked a bit more emotion from her character. Bird handles the egocentrism and bitterness of Benjie pretty well, but doesn't connect as much when the emotional parts come. Still, it's a pretty darn good cast, rounded out by John Cusack and Olivia Williams.
Part of me would've liked at least one character to connect with, considering that all of them are morally compromised. But I admire Cronenberg's boldness to take jabs at the whole machinery of the entertainment business, while putting his characters forth as they are; trapped, flawed, and seeking freedom.
Grade:
MAPS TO THE STARS
(2014, Cronenberg)
A film with a title that starts with the letters M or N
(2014, Cronenberg)
A film with a title that starts with the letters M or N
"On the stairs of Death I write your name, Liberty."
That is a fairly liberal translation of one sentence from the poem Liberté, from Paul Éluard. The poem is a repetitive proclamation of the idea of "liberty", either from obsessive love (according to Éluard's own words) or from oppression of any kind (which is why it was heavily used as propaganda during the French Revolution). Its essence sits at the core of this film, where it's quoted and referenced often, as most characters crave and seek freedom from various metaphorical "chains".
Maps to the Stars follows Agatha Weiss (Mia Wasikowska), a mysterious young woman that arrives at Los Angeles and seeks employment with Havana Segrand (Julianne Moore), an aging, washed-up actress struggling to face the truth about her career. Unbeknownst to Havana, Agatha's real intentions are to get close to Benjie (Evan Bird), a problematic child star dealing with his own problems.
The thing is that both Havana and Benjie are captive by expectations and failed dreams; from the struggles of "old" age and mature actresses in Hollywood, to the plights and pressures put on child stars that don't have the maturity to handle it. The contrast of both trying to be liberated from the oppression of the Hollywood system is quite interesting, while also extending to other peripheral characters, including driver/wannabe-actor Jerome (Robert Pattinson) that are as captive as them.
The arrival of Agatha comes to shake things up, and her constant quoting of Éluard's poem puts her as somewhat of a "bringer" of liberty, even if it's for all the wrong reasons, in all the wrong ways. Her "chains" are more of a troubled childhood, mental health, trauma, and an obsessive love for which she is seeking liberation, even if it's "on the stairs of Death".
Even though it takes place in and around Hollywood, with characters coming and going out of expensive mansions and stores, and walking into movie sets, Cronenberg does a great job of stripping everything of its glamour. The Hollywood he presents us is morally decayed, dirty, jaded, and corrupt, and all the characters are caught in it.
All of the performances are great, with Moore being quite the scene stealer (if you can say that about Moore). Wasikowska was pretty good too, even if I would've liked a bit more emotion from her character. Bird handles the egocentrism and bitterness of Benjie pretty well, but doesn't connect as much when the emotional parts come. Still, it's a pretty darn good cast, rounded out by John Cusack and Olivia Williams.
Part of me would've liked at least one character to connect with, considering that all of them are morally compromised. But I admire Cronenberg's boldness to take jabs at the whole machinery of the entertainment business, while putting his characters forth as they are; trapped, flawed, and seeking freedom.
Grade: