Everything is Illuminated
 

Just saw this tonight (in possibly the coldest theater I've ever been in - they need some space heaters in that place!), and have to say, having never read the novel, I...kinda liked it.

The acting is superb, and the characters have a believable chemistry, which almost makes this comedic drama/Holocaust road film work. The score is overbearing and distracting, and although the actors make the audience care for thier characters, the film is written in such a way that only Young Alex's emotional growth/change seems natural.

I'd like to see the film again, as there seems to be a lot to mine out in it. Unlike Roger Ebert, I don't think the film is "about" Grandfather Alex or Jonathan - to me, it's clear that the film is about Young Alex. The book may be about Jonathan, but the film, I think, is all Alex's. In a road film, the character undergoing the most change, in this case, Young Alex, is the center of the film - he is the innocent, the sometimes oaf, and eventually, the moral compass, and is the one of the three main characters unnecessary to the plot. He's the film's filter through which the characters' and plot's quirks reach the audience, and whose emotional progression is made glaring by his character quirks. He's in the driver's seat by the end, too, I think that's important.

The film takes an interesting look at the Holocaust, what it means to the survivors, and what it means the few generations removed. There's also the question of why a corpse-like Jonathan needs to seek the source of the pain of his ancestors, and catalog artifacts in mini bodybags. It's pretty heavy stuff, but there are more than a few moments of levity that work quite well, and a nice, bittersweet ending.

The movie feels somehow incomplete and a little unsatisfying, but you can't do much better right now for your eight bucks. Well, Stay was good, too, but it seems to be a pretty polarizing film. Go see this, it should rattle around in your head for at least the car ride home.

Just a few random thoughts at midnight.

cheers,

-the Jesus

Eugene Hutz is awesome!

A link to the film would be nice...

He steals the film away.

Without him... yikes.

Eugene Hutz and his band Gogol Bordello is on tour now. About the best rock show I've ever seen.

Yeah, I haven't seen the movie yet. I am just a big Gogol Bordello fan. I remember when I used to write for Tiny Mix Tapes back in the day, they were the first band I chose to write about.

I agree. The film once it was over, it seemed that it was all about alex reaching a level of enlightement by leaving some of his naiveness behind and finding out more about his roots through jonathan's search, but i could understand the argument that the film is about the grandfather since he is the person we learn the most about.

Ok....I watched this film last night. Good movie, but I was confused by something.

Arrrgg Matey.

I've been meaning to screen this flick for some time. Apparently showing at our student union soon, gotta love free movies. Glad to hear it's decent though :D