By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Charles Binamé
Country: canada
Year: 2015
Running time: 110
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3754976/combined
Chris says: “Nothing in the colorful, florid opening scene, set at an opera performance in postwar Cuba suggests that the bulk of ELEPHANT SONG will unfold at a visually drab, wintry mental hospital in mid-1960s Canada. Similarly, little in the film resolves itself according to expectations set up by the initial premise, where Dr. Toby Green (Bruce Greenwood), the hospital’s administrator and his ex-wife, nurse Susan Peterson (Catherine Keener), are cross-examined at length about their dealings with troubled patient Michael (Xavier Dolan). After Michael’s long-term psychiatrist Dr. Lawrence disappears, Green is called on to interview the patient at length. We never learn Michael’s exact diagnosis, but he clearly suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, among other things. Wiry and cunning, he continually manipulates Green (and to a greater extent, Peterson), and in turn, us as well. As details about his past and his relationship with Lawrence surface other significant things comes to light about Green’s and Peterson’s former life together. The Big Reveals aren’t as interesting as the little ones, which accumulate and result in three satisfyingly multifaceted figures.
“Three terrific performances as well. Although more commonly utilized as a character actor in films, Greenwood effortlessly steps into the anchor/audience surrogate position. Keener gets a rare opportunity to play someone softer and more vulnerable than usual, while Dolan, a Quebecois filmmaker acting in his first major English language role capably plays crazy without going over-the-top or turning Michael into a cartoon. Unfortunate, then, that the film as a whole never transcends its stage play origins, although director Charles Binamé tries hard to turn it into a visually interesting picture with all its period details and attention-drawing compositions. A little too hermetic for its own good, ELEPHANT SONG entertains but, unlike Dolan’s own films (to cite one somewhat-related example), it rarely enlightens. 3.5 cats
“(ELEPHANT SONG screened at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival.)”