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It's been a long time since I saw a sequel better than the first. This film is exquisite. It's so meticulously crafted and brilliantly directed that I would not expect any other film to beat it this year.
Julie's struggles at film school are delved into even more in part 2 and the meta becomes even more meta as we see director Joanna Hogg dissect her own past in ways that just leave the viewer jaw dropped (it takes the film within a film vibe to the extreme). We pick up as Julie looks to overcome grief after her boyfriend Anthony has died of an overdose. There are nods to Welles and Powell/Pressburger films and there is some good comedy too, mostly in the form of Richard Ayoade once again.
But this is all about Joanna Hogg. Literally. the last 20 minutes or so is just some of the best filmmaking I've seen for quite sometime. Its a film that is not just about grief, there is a look at doubt, self reflection, identity and fate. It's difficult to review with no spoilers, and it's difficult to put across just how clever it is. So everyone should see it. A brilliant film.
9.3/10
'The Souvenir Part II' (2022)
Directed by Joanna Hogg
Directed by Joanna Hogg
It's been a long time since I saw a sequel better than the first. This film is exquisite. It's so meticulously crafted and brilliantly directed that I would not expect any other film to beat it this year.
Julie's struggles at film school are delved into even more in part 2 and the meta becomes even more meta as we see director Joanna Hogg dissect her own past in ways that just leave the viewer jaw dropped (it takes the film within a film vibe to the extreme). We pick up as Julie looks to overcome grief after her boyfriend Anthony has died of an overdose. There are nods to Welles and Powell/Pressburger films and there is some good comedy too, mostly in the form of Richard Ayoade once again.
But this is all about Joanna Hogg. Literally. the last 20 minutes or so is just some of the best filmmaking I've seen for quite sometime. Its a film that is not just about grief, there is a look at doubt, self reflection, identity and fate. It's difficult to review with no spoilers, and it's difficult to put across just how clever it is. So everyone should see it. A brilliant film.
9.3/10