Head In The Clouds, 2004

Head in the clouds, 2004
Director: John Duigan
Cast: Stuart Townsend, Penelope Cruz, Charlize Theron



Head in short: a sweeping romantic drama set in 1930's England, Paris, and Spain. Gilda Bessé shares her Paris apartment with an Irish schoolteacher, Guy Malyon, and Mia, a refugee from Spain. As the world drifts toward war, Gilda defiantly pursues her hedonistic lifestyle and her burgeoning career as a photographer. But Guy and Mia feel impelled to join the fight against fascism, and the three friends are separated - seemingly forever.


Stage: Home theatre

Preps: None in perticular. A brilliant cast set and war as a background give me high expectations.


Reality: One of the better ones in terms of war drama, romantic drama. Brilliant cast by Theron, another one of Cruz. Making a love triangle from director's perspective is brilliant, in this cast set also possible to really bite into the challenge. Threesome form a miraculous set for adventures, indulging life as it was just before the war. The scenery is amazing, awsomely dragging you into that period with the clothes, parties, shoes, hats. The manners of behaviour. The food and the drinking. Enjoying company and wasting the time, not like in present, when we run around headless and without breathing. Shown as potential the viewer can only dwell upon and think how good it would be to be there for some time.
The story turns completely around with the savage approach to the war. The perspective is european, but in my opinion pretty honest. If in the first half you want to experience this - the director in the second half makes sure you remember that it was one of the most disastrous moments in history of mankind and that there's nothing for individual to wish to be there.
The piece involves everything worth remembering. The suffering, endless romance. Expectations. Indulgement. All in one piece.


My personal rating: 8,0 (something worth seeing and remembering. I simply adore Theron and Cruz).

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