Melancholia

Occasionally I have found myself in the following situation. I invite a friend to see a new movie with me. This movie is much less mainstream than the friend is used to. They repeatedly turn to me and say, “What the hell kind of movie is this?” Well that is my best way to describe Melancholia. It is that kind of movie. In the film, Melancholia is a planet that has been hiding behind the Sun. After close encounters with Mercury and Venus, there is talk that it may collide with Earth. Kirsten Dunst stars as new bride, Justine, who suffers from a mystery ailment, which may or may not be linked to the approaching planet.

The film is split into three parts, the first being 10 minutes of slow motion imagery depicting the moments of truth later in the movie. While the exact same pictures aren’t seen again, these moments really set the tone for Melancholia and expose the answers to some of the most important questions that will be asked in the final act. Justine’s wedding reception is the second part and the first main narrative. This section is a drawn out look at a few main characters in a number of awkward situations. Through the abundance of individuals displayed, the few main characters are established with strong writing that fleshes out key attributes for later in the film.

The second half is the real event. With less characters and more drama, it is the meat of the Melancholia story. With the planet approaching, Justine and her sister Claire (Justine Gainsbourg) unravel what is going to be more than just a unique vision of a planetary flyover. Kiefer Suterland’s performance as Claire’s husband, John is a surprisingly fresh look at the talents of the actor. But the two women are the real stars here, providing a powerfully real look at how emotions would take hold in this kind of situation. Melancholia is heart-breakingly sad, but somehow the viewer can walk away with fulfillment because it is such an intense study of human emotion. (9.3 out of 10)