ha ha. eric rohmer's films one probably loves or hates. 'too much' talk, too little 'action', and the talk is so self-obsessed bordering on banal. his films are almost slice-of-life except most normal people don't think and talk as deeply as this. delphine is lucky to have any friends at all since she is so whiney and self-obsessed and refuses to do anything that might make her feel any better and most people would be forgiven for walking out on this film within 20 minutes. but then it suddenly occurs that she is actually suffering from chronic depression - which doesn't make her behaviour any easier to deal with but it does make you realise that she does actually have a mental illness and she cant behave any differently. she desperately wants to connect with people but constantly pushes them away, is so lonely but cant find anyone worth trusting and letting in. and you realise at the end that she is not just snobbish and picky when she finally meets someone she CAN connect with and it changes her because HE is different. so ultimately it is a very beautiful and magical film but really just another fairy-tale because, let's face it, that kind of happy ending wouldn't happen in real life (and probably he will get sick of her intensity too. lighten up!)
Review of The Green Ray
The Green Ray
(1986)
depressed people are very annoying company but it isn't their fault
24 November 2009