ilivetotravel Review of Goodbye to Language

Goodbye to Language (2014)

This film is not a metaphor for life; it is a simile for pain

[1/10 · 17 January 2015]

This film, however philosophical it may be, will hurt you. Not in a way where you empathize with the characters so you come out stronger or more appreciative of what you have in your own life. I mean the film will literally cause you pain while you attempt to watch it. There are multiple scenes where Godard interlaces two scenes on-screen at the same time, which causes eye strain when watching with 3D glasses so much that I had to look away (and I have never before had trouble with IMAX or 3D). The sound mixing is so poorly done with stark contrasts and "experimental" shifts in the audio channels, that it gave me headaches. The only reason I kept watching was because I was in a theater and kept hoping the best star of the film, the dog, would do something interesting. Instead, I was subjected to watching a man on a toilet for what must have been at least five minutes. That is what should be on the movie poster instead -- to warn viewers of the most representative content. I've read my fair share of philosophy and have been to France twice, so I certainly thought I might like this. Instead, I would rank this within the worst five films I have ever seen. I'm almost inclined to watch Batman & Robin again to see which is more deserving of a Razzie.