The Souvenir Movie Review
Confession: I have never seen any of writer/director Joanna Hogg’s other films. So you’ll have to excuse me if I ramble on about things that are just her usual style. Rest assured, I will be seeing her other three films shortly.
I went to see her latest film, The Souvenir, a week ago, but I waited to write the review until now. It’s not because I’m lazy, or I should say it’s not only because I’m lazy. When I initially walked out of the theater I felt very ambivalent about the film as a whole. But the longer I sat with it, the more nuances I began to unpack. For me the effects of this film were like a parasite: Latching on and only causing minor disruptions at first. But as time wears on, it spreads and grows until it consumes you and you carry it with you everywhere you go.
The plot is not particularly complex. A young filmmaker Julie (Honor Swinton Byrne) falls in love with Anthony (Tom Burke), a young man who works for the government. The trials and tribulations of young love are made more difficult due to a heroin habit. And that’s basically the plot. Not a lot happens in this film. It is a painstakingly slow burn. It also requires an enormous amount of empathy. Several times throughout the film I thought, “Why is Julie putting up with this nonsense?” Perhaps a different type of addiction may be the answer there.
Honor Swinton Byrne puts forth a heroic performance as the naive, young, and unsure Julie trying to find her place in the world of film. Tom Burke deserves some sort of award for his performance as the somewhat intolerable and annoying Anthony. His portrayal of Anthony as an enigmatic young man was infuriatingly good. Tilda Swinton takes a spin as Rosalind, Julie’s mother. It was enjoyable to see the real life mother/daughter duo act on screen together. As per usual Swinton nails her role and adds another strong performance to her roster despite the scarce amount of screen time she receives.
Aside from the acting, the part I enjoyed the most about The Souvenir had to have been the cinematography. There were several shots that made me pause and say, “Wow!” The way the camera is utilized is interesting. You feel as if you’re never quite getting the full picture of what’s going on in the scene. In this way, the film is slightly off putting. You feel like you’re waiting and waiting for something to happen, but you’re not sure what that something should be. The quiet stillness of this movie is at times unnerving.
I’m still pondering how a movie that is so understated can give you so much to think about. Hogg has created such an intense and intimate film that it took me days to begin to process what had actually happened. The Souvenir lives up to its name and gives you something to take home with you.
Film or Movie: Film
You’ll like this film if:
1. You are tired of the summer blockbusters and want a slow paced film
2. You like slow films with delicate payoff
3. You want new scenes to include in the cinematography course you teach
