By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.75 cats
Director: Joanna Hogg
Starring: Ariane Labed | Honor Swinton | Jack McMullen | Jaygann Ayeh | Richard Ayoade | Tilda Swinton | Tom Burke
Country: united_kingdom, united_states
Year: 2019
Running time: 120
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6920356/reference
Chris says: “Not everything in Joanna Hogg’s latest fully registered for me, but when it was over my first thought was, “I really want to see this again” and it’s been some time since I last felt that way about a new film. Honor Swinton Byrne should have no trouble following in her mother Tilda’s footsteps based on her excellent work here. 4 cats”
Michael says: “It’s not that I need a film to have likable characters. Joanna Hogg’s films are filled with unlikable people who are so compelling to watch. But THE SOUVENIR, superficially about a young film student who falls in love with a heroin addict, is both fascinating and repellent. Our lead, Julie, played convincingly by Honor Swinton Byrne, is hesitant and somewhat insecure. The creepily seductive Tom Burke, has just enough sweetness underlying his arrogance, that he makes for a convincing love interest. But their self-destructive love, is difficult to watch in any sustained way.
“High points include Tilda Swinton (Honor’s mom, by the way) as Julie’s mother, always a delight. The mother-daughter relationship is so authentic, you forget this real-life family is acting. The decidedly mundane portrait of the upper class, that strikes less of a posh vibrancy, and more of a boring ennui, is what truly anchors the film. And the musical interludes, underscoring the 80’s setting work beautifully.
So while it doesn’t thrill the way Hogg’s earlier film ARCHIPELAGO, there’s a bit of a slow-burn to this apparently very personal story that does make me, like Chris, want to view it again. But after I shake off some of the less interesting parts, that while no doubt are essential to greater whole, actually caused me to reprimand the characters out loud once or twice. 3.5 cats“