By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.75 cats
Director: Lynne Ramsay
Starring: Dolly Wells | Kathleen McDermott | Paul Popplewell | Ruby Milton | Samantha Morton
Country: canada, united_states
Year: 2003
Running time: 97
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0300214/reference
Peg says:
“I saw this Scottish film by Lynne Ramsay at the Women’s Film Festival and thoroughly enjoyed it!
“Morvern is a young woman who wakes up, or perhaps arrives home, on Christmas morning to find her boyfriend has committed suicide on the kitchen floor. In the glow of the Christmas tree lights, she hugs his body and unwraps the gifts he left for her her: a leather jacket, a Walkman, a cigarette lighter, a tape of music he made for her. This music is an eclectic and highly-effective backdrop to the film: from the Velvet Underground to the Mamas and the Papas to techno, and Morvern is rarely without the earphones in her ears. Her boyfriend has left his unpublished novel on his computer and in a terse note (‘I’m sorry. Don’t try to understand. It just seemed like the right thing to do.’) asks her to print it out and mail it to the first publisher on a list he has left. She does, but not before changing his name in the byline to her own. Although he says in the note ‘I wrote it for you,’ Morvern takes this a step further, claiming the work as her own in an attempt to change her own life, and perhaps in retribution for her boyfriend’s deserting her, leaving her to deal with his body. (She doesn’t tell anyone he’s died, only that he’s left her). he’s also left her some money in the bank for his funeral; but she takes it and goes on holiday with her close friend Lanna. On the trip she begins to go to where her grief and new freedom must ultimately take her.
“I don’t think MORVERN CALLAR has quite the solidity or accomplishment of Ramsay’s debut film RATCATCHER, simply because the narrative of MORVERN CALLAR is more diffused. But the conceit that works for Ramsay is to have nearly every event seen through the eyes of her main character played with haunting but minimal intensity by Samantha Morton. This young actress has shown herself to be very impressive in her short career, every bit as versatile and intense as Sarah Polley or a young Jennifer Jason Leigh, and I look forward to seeing more of her.
“I was very much impressed by this film on a moment-to-moment level; Ramsay has a way of creating emotion with her chosen composition and sound design elements, and the way she moves from scene to scene is striking and unnerving one minute, fluid and hypnotic the next. The saturated colors of the interiors, the gorgeous landscapes in dreary Scotland and dry sunny Spain, and most of all the trippy, surreal scenes in clubs when Morvern is dancing with friends, having taken (I assume) ecstasy), or simply moving through the crowd with her Walkman, are like color studies for complex paintings: still blurred and imperfect but with the crucial elements mapped out with clear intention and artistry. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be in Lynne Ramsay’s head, but this film makes me feel like I have lived for a time inside her paint box, her pill box and her favorite old shoes.” 4 cats
Bob says: Thanks, Peg. You’ve clarified a few things about the film for me. I found MORVERN CALLAR particularly challenging (in addition to thoroughly enjoyable). Its never clear what Morverns motivations are, and I was left wondering exactly what she was trying to accomplish. She mentions early on in the film (I think I had some trouble understanding the dialogue) that she was raised by foster parents, so I think she may have been trying to create an identity for herself. Well, not exactly create more like adopt.
“Certainly, the life she drops is nothing to be envied, but its not clear to me if she likes the one with which she replaces it. She has the money to do whatever she desires, at least for a while, but I get the feeling that she doesnt know what she wants, and maybe thats got something to do with her fascination with bugs. They dont need to worry about who they are; they simply are. Morverns face and her dialogue do very little to clarify anything. The style of Mortons performance reminded me a bit of Isabelle Huppert in THE PIANO TEACHER, but without the outbursts. For a lot of the film, the audience is given close-ups of her face, but no hint of whats going on behind it. And she certainly seems to confuse the people with whom she interacts.
“This is backed up by the editing, cinematography, and sound. The look and sound of the film are constantly shifting: the speed of the action changes, images get grainy, the color palette shifts, and extended periods of silence are followed by sudden loud staccato bursts of noise, like the heavy suitcase banging its way down a flight of stairs. A few of the shifts, however, are given an odd sort of bridge, such as the car trips. Its as if travel at speeds faster than walking is a kind of dream period between two separate states of consciousness. But if thats the case, I dont know why. And I dont know what to call, or what to make of the invisible jump cut during the panning shot in the cemetery.
“The soundtrack her boyfriend has left to her serves to give us a variety of feelings, which sometimes seem to speak directly to what shes doing (and maybe feeling), and sometimes just stab us with irony. But is Morvern putting on a given song to represent what shes experiencing, or is she experiencing life based on cues shes getting from the apparently random structure of the mix tape?
“This one will definitely require multiple viewings, although I dont know if that will do much to clear things up for me.
“One small correction: Morvern does in fact tell Lanna that her boyfriend is dead, while theyre arguing at the side of the deserted road. However, this admission doesnt register with Lanna at all. She, like Morvern, isnt particularly interested in what anyone else has to say. She has her own stuff to think about, whatever that is.”
Peg responds to Bob: “Good points all, Bob. And I did remember that she tells Lanna he’s dead (I think more to stop Lanna going on about having slept with him, another bit of information that’s hard to pick up on as the Scottish dialect is very thick in this film) but as you point out, Lanna seems not to hear it (I think Stephanie Zacharek says the same in her review, but maybe she just missed this moment when Morvern says he’s dead, it goes by so quickly). You offer a good analysis of how the music seems to work, too; that it may be creating mood or the mood may evolve to fit it, but either way we’re meant to hear it as Morvern does, with irony at times, perhaps.I am remembering one of my favorite musical moments is when she’s standing over the bathtub with the Walkman strapped onto her stomach, wearing sunglasses… I agree this is one to be seen more than once. I find I want to see RATCATCHER again before I do, though…”
Lori says: “I feel the same way about Morvern Callar. I read folks’ reviews this morning and still don’t see what the raves were about. I am a fan of Samanatha Morton which is why I decided to see it (and also because it made several members’ best lists). If people are willing to briefly comment I’d appreciate.”
Michael says: “The High Falls Film Festival kicked off with a bang for me, with Lynne Ramsays gorgeous and haunting MORVERN CALLAR. Told largely with amazing imagery, Ramsay tells the story of a young woman drifting through life named Morvern Callar (Samantha Morton). Morvern discovers the body of her boyfriend who has committed suicide on Christmas day. She also finds his note asking her to take his completed manuscript and send it to a publisher. When Morvern changes the authors name from his to her own, then submits the manuscript, the audience is unsure whether this young woman is someone to spend their cinematic time with. As the story unfolded, I was initially put off by Morverns wandering life, drifting from raves to drugs and casual sex. Then slightly over halfway through I found myself totally absorbed in the story and realized that I was taking the same journey that she was, and that Ramsays film had succeeded in drawing me in and taking me somewhere I hadn’t been before. Using startling images and music, Ramsay paints a dark picture of a lost soul.” 4 cats
And in response to Peg: “Thanks for that great review of MORVERN CALLAR. I caught this film at the High Falls Film Festival last fall, and was similarly impressed. But the movie caught me completely off-guard. I haven’t seen RATCATCHER, which I obviously must do. During the first 20 to 30 minutes of MORVERN CALLAR, I found myself feeling very uncomfortable, and not enjoying the film, or its title character much at all. Then, about midway through, about the same time Morvern experiences an epiphany of sorts while on holiday, I suddenly realized that I was right there with her and was enjoying the film quite a bit. That feeling continued through the end of the film, and I realized that Lynne Ramsay had done her job quite well, had reeled me in to Morvern’s life right from the beginning and took me on a journey. It was a journey that was unpleasant at the beginning, and later became a valuable learning experience for Morvern.
“I dont’ think MORVERN CALLAR is for everyone, and it’s a difficult film as well, told in images and music as much as words, but I highly recommend it to all Chlotrudis members.”
And in response to Bob: “Bob reminded me of something I neglected to mention in my reviews. Although Morvern certainly goes through a profound change in her journey, I agree that it is unclear if she’s in a better place at the end of the film. While she is clearly drifting aimlessly at the start of the film, there is little evidence that she has a more defined purpose at the film’s conclusion. I rather enjoy this ambiguity, and I’m glad Bob mentioned THE PIANO TEACHER in his review. I’m becoming increasingly enamored of films that don’t try to explain everything, particularly the characters’ histories or motivations for certain actions, but instead leave that type of understanding up to the viewer. It gives us more to think about.”
And in response to Lori: “I had an interesting journey with MORVERN CALLAR. I suspect that had I watched the film at home on video, I wouldn’t have appreciated it as much, but in the theatre, as a captive audience member, it worked. For the first third of the film, I wasn’t really enjoying it very much. The character was unsympathetic, the story was unpleasant, the soundtrack was annoying. But about the time they ended up in Spain… and especially by the time they made it to the little village in Spain, I found I was really enjoying the film.
“That’s when I realized that I was taking the same journey as Morton’s character as I watched the film. Things were pretty bleak for the first third, and my viewing state reflected that. When Morven discovered the country in Spain, and felt some freedom, I was right there with her. Then as the story played out, I found it pretty amusing.
“Is Morvern in a better place by the end of the story? Possibly not, but she certainly seems happier.
“I thought the visuals, and use of sound to be pretty amazing, also aided by the theatre experience, I think. And Morton was terrific.”
Diane says: “Unlike other Chlo members, I felt like I got inside the head of that strange young woman. Fresh, surprising, good adaptation of the novel, lively cinematography. 4 cats”
And in response to Lori: “I’m part of the big-screen contingent on MORVERN CALLAR and liked it. Maybe that _is_ a telling difference with this film (in truth, I like very few fiction films that I watch on a TV screen).
“I felt absorbed into the movie very early on, and was empathetic toward Morvern. In particular, at the point where she and her friend are stranded in the dark with their luggage, I remember feeling good about this turning point for her: she starts to learn who she wants to be.”
Emily and Greg say: “Another split decision – Second feature from Lynne Ramsay, director of RATCATCHER, about a woman who comes home to find her boyfriend has killed himself, and left a last request that she try getting his completed first novel published post-mortem. Samantha Morton is incredible as Morvern Callar, who subsequently sends the novel, under her name, to a publisher who is crazy about it and offers her a large sum of money for the publishing rights.
“Em was really drawn in by the story and the characters, though Greg, being a writer of sorts himself (songwriter), couldn’t get past Morvern’s taking credit for her boyfriend’s dying artistic achievement. We disagreed about whether Morvern’s act was one of bravery and self/life affirmation in the face of the thoughtless tortured artist’s premature exit, or an act of cowardice and/or theft, depriving the true artist of the only opportunity for the public recognition of his talent …can you guess who thought what?” 4 cats
Hilary says in response to Lori: “I too, was thoroughly unimpressed by MORVERN CALLAR. However, I did see it at home on my small TV, which I freely admit might have been a detriment for such a *quiet* film. Perhaps on the big screen it would’ve been more of a LOST IN TRANSLATION-type experience: quiet, but finely crafted and thus a powerful cinematic experience.”
Ivy says: “There has been a lot said about this film already but I just wanted to add that 8 months after having seen the film it is still commonly in my mind as one of the strongest films I have seen this year. I have become a bigger fan of the filmmaker and the lead actress because of this film. I know that not everyone bought the story and the character’s bad choices, but I appreciated her denial and inability to handle her tragedy with aplomb. And they way she turns her grief into a success is quite remarkable!
“Another one that will be on my list this year! ”
Kevin says in response to Lori: “MORVERN CALLAR was the most powerful film experience that I had in 2003. First of all, I’m a bit biased because I have a slight obsession with Samantha Morton (which I feel is nonetheless warranted, because she’s amazing). However, I felt that the character of Morvern Callar was certainly one of the most interesting and morally ambiguous film characters of all time. Also, I thought that Lynne Ramsay’s visual style was gorgeous–expressionistic and fascinating. I felt overall like the film was a very complete journey, although quite ambiguous. The performance by the non-actress Kathleen McDermott who played Morvern’s friend also really impressed me, and I thought there relationship was really interesting and lovely. Overall, I just thought it was one of the best films I’d seen in a long time, and was greatly moved by it. Cheers.”
Laura says: “The quietly observant, childlike Morvern, given an alien luminosity by Samantha Morton (SWEET AND LOWDOWN), is one of contemporary fiction’s strangest characters. Director Lynne Ramsay (RATCATCHER), who also adapted Alan Warner’s novel with Liana Dognini, has created a unique tone poem showcasing some formidable acting by Morton, yet neither is quite capable of drawing us into Morvern’s head, keeping us at arm’s length from the central character. Still, Morvern’s journey is one well worth taking.
“After reading her boyfriend’s suicide note, which advises on a bank account for funeral expenses and instructions to send his first novel to a particular London publisher, Morvern opens her Christmas presents (including a mix tape featuring Can and Aphex Twin, used prominently throughout the film) then goes out partying with her best friend Lanna (Glasgow hairdresser Kathleen McDermott, in her film debut). When questioned, she simply says her boyfriend’s left her. She returns to her job at the local supermarket (in a dazzlingly surreal montage set to Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra’s ‘Some Velvet Morning’), then decides to dispose of the body and use the bank account for a trip to Spain with Lanna.
“While Lanna’s happy drinking and drugging in an anonymous resort catering to fellow Brits acting like they’re on Spring Break, Morvern’s still searching. She connects with one young man (Raife Patrick Burchell) who has just learned of the death of his mother by getting him to joyously jump up and down on his bed, but the constant druggy haze and disco lights recall the booze and Christmas lights of home, so Morvern drags Lanna out into the countryside. This road trip breaks down the friendship and Lanna returns home. In a sort of epiphany, Morvern signs her name to her boyfriend’s novel, drawing London publishers to southern Spain to quote a large advance to the budding genius.
“Morton has proven herself an accomplished actress at a very young age, and she imbues her wide-eyed wanderings and chain-smoking contemplations with a vitality that fascinates. There’s no one better at embodying joy on the movie screen. The actress and her director frustrate the audience, though, by not allowing us to see what makes Morvern tick. She’s a mysterious being who finds freedom via an extraordinarily unusual, seemingly emotionally removed path. McDermott, cast by an agent who noticed her on a Glasgow street, is disarmingly natural, every bit as down to earth as Morvern is ethereal.
“Ramsay’s first film also featured a central character covering up a death, but relied on unrelenting bleakness to achieve an emotional effect. MORVERN CALLAR, although flawed, is a greater artistic achievement, road movie of the psyche. Cinematographer Alwin H. Kuchler (RATCATHER, THE CLAIM) gives the Western Scottish port of Oban (unnamed in the film) a realistic grayish gloom, then achieves a hyper-real quality for sun-drenched Spain, just as RATCATCHER’S young protagonist’s worlds of Glasgow slum were contrasted against the dreamlike new home set amidst a field of yellow.
“MORVERN CALLAR” may be an unknowable being, but she’s a bewitching traveling companion.” 3 1/2 cats
Robin says: “A man lies in a pool of blood on the floor. A girl lies sleeping nearby. The decorations and in the apartment tell that it is Christmas but it looks like we’re about to enter a modern tragedy. When the young woman realizes that her boyfriend committed suicide she blithely goes about her day-by-day existence, but then she is MORVERN CALLAR
“Director Lynne Ramsay, with her co-scripter Liana Dognini, has created a terrifically unique title character. Morvern (Samantha Morton) is a self-centered, self-indulgent young woman but she is so earnest and forthright you may not like her but you have to admire her chutzpah. With her dead boyfriend lying dead by the Christmas tree she calmly opens her presents, reads the suicide note and checks out his biggest gift of all – a completed novel on disk that he wants her to submit to a publisher. She dresses and heads off to work in a supermarket, stocking shelves and mopping up until it is time to go out on the town with her best friend Lanna (newcomer Kathleen McDermott). As far as Lanna and everyone else are concerned ‘he’ left Morvern and then left town. No one questions it.
“Morvern continues living with the corpse until things start to get ripe. She dumps the body into an ice filled bathtub until she can figure out how to get rid of it. Like everything else about Ms. Callar, she is practical and turns, unflinchingly, to the gruesome task at hand. After the disposal is done, she takes her boyfriend’s bankcard and buys her and Lanna a package tour to sunny Spain. Before they leave, she changes the author’s name on the novel to her own and sends it off to a publisher.
“As the Spanish countryside unfolds for them it becomes evident that there are cracks beginning to form in the girls’ friendship. Lanna is content with partying around the resort while Morvern is plotting out her future, especially when the publisher eagerly contacts her with an offer. As Lanna returns home with little more than some snaps from the trip, Morvern is being cajoled, wined and dined by the publishers with an offer for more money than she could have dreamed just a short while before.
“What makes MORVERN CALLAR work at all is due to the sheer talent of Samantha Morton. Morvern, in another actor’s hand, could have been a despicably selfish creature that you would disdain rather than admire. Morton makes Callar into a person that you must watch, if only to try to figure out what makes her tick. She is so matter-of-fact and assured in handling her boyfriend’s tragic suicide. Sure, she’d like to have him back but things are the way they are and one must cope in whatever way is required. There is a ruthless quality to Morvern that makes her someone you do not lightly cross.
“Another treat in MORVERN CALLAR is the debut of Kathleen McDermott as Lanna. This young non-actor has a fresh, likable and natural quality that is a perfect foil for Morvern. To watch McDermott you would think that she had years of experience acting rather than someone found as a trainee barber in Glasgow. This young lady, if her out-of-the-gate debut is any indication, is going to make.
“Techs are decent with the remote seaport town shown in dark, bleak hues of blue and black that capture the drabness of Scottish urban life. When the story moves to Spain it becomes awash in warm colors and bright sunlight that feels like escape from another world.
“MORVERN CALLAR may be an acquired taste for many but Samantha Morton and Kathleen McDermott are worth the price of admission.” 3 cats
Clifford reviews courtesy of Reeling Reviews