Don't look back, 2009

Don't look back, 2009
Director: Marina de Van
Cast: Monica Belucci, Sophie Marceau, Andrea di Stefano


Stage: home theatre


Don't look back in short: Jeanne a writer, married, with two children - starts to see unsettling changes in her home. Her body is beginning to change. No one around her seems to notice. Her family dismisses these fears as the result of the stress of having to finish her next book, but Jeanne realizes that something far deeper, far more disturbing is taking place. A photograph at her mother's house sends her in search of a woman in Italy. Here, transformed into another woman, RosaMaria, she will discover the strange secret of her true identity.

Preps: just another one in the line. And in the first minute I am curious. Never seen Belucci and Marceau cast together.




Reality: A superb psychological piece. Belucci and Marceau are joint persons in one, the first one discovering her true identity, and all the time that passes in between, the viewer will wonder whether she's just making it up, was she abused in her childhood, what are the true reasons behind her visions and the changes of everyday things or the persons she knows (including herself).

It is a traumatic idea, thinking that you could be a victim of such a psychological "truth" seeking, when everything around you changes in minutes. It reminds me of the fear of Alzheimer disease. I believe it must be so for all people suffering from this and all the similar diseases. Nevertheless, this piece intrigues my imagination and triggers some fears that are burried deep down, holds them upfront and makes you suffer with Jeanne as she is on her discoveral journey. The mystery remains unsolved until the end and in my opinion, that is one of the greatest things about this piece. Unexpected outturn and unusual events that happen on the way to seeking the truth.

Nevertheless, the movie lacks true ending. They cannot be all happy and dandy at the end, not at the story revealed. The movie lacks another ten to twenty minutes. Or maybe even better, it is up to the viewer to decide, what happens next. In my experience, movies that leave the endings or interpretations, are much closer to the audience than those that serve everything on a silver platter.

The topic that is spread all around the piece, would definitely be (or one of them) - can actions from one's childhood influence you while you are an adult, even though you have forgotten them up to some extent? WIll the revealing of the secret chamber of your subconscience help you live a better and more prosperous life? Will this lady now be Belucci or Marceau (or is that even important) and will it make the family happier? What's with the mother (or the both mothers) and what happens next? How did this contribute to her existing life (apart from destroying a few weeks and some sane mind in all this time).. The questions just queue up in an endless line.

And while you are watching this, you will endulge the beauty of both, Marceau and Belucci as they are superbly amazing ladies. Both with sparkling energy and just magnificent looks. A true crown to the movie.


My personal rate: 8,0 (piece worth seeing, definitely).

Don't look back on IMDB