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| Movies,
Dan Wolff,
20 January 1999 |
Rating: F4
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Jane Campion continues her style of filmmaking by bringing us yet another strong female protagonist in the form of Ruth Barron, portrayed by a radiant Kate Winslet.The opening scenes of the film take place in Delhi when Ruth is 19 and becomes engrossed by a guru Baba and is blessed, causing her to become an instant believer through the power of a third eye. She stays out there and her friends return home to Australia to inform her parents about what has happened. Her mum Miriam, played by Julia Hamilton, flies straight out and brings her back home only after she lies about her dad dying and she herself has a bad asthma attack.
Back at her home and with her more than dysfunctional family, they con Ruth into spending time in a Half-Way Hut with 'Cult Exiter' P.J. Walters played by Harvey Keitel looking a bit like an extra from The Beastie Boys' Sabotage video. He explains that all it takes is a three-step plan to 'cure' Ruth. There is also a small matter of Ruths' sister-in-law Yvonne taking an instant shine to P.J and confessing her sexual fantasies to him with predictable concequences.
The film relies heavily on the first-class acting from Keitel and particularly Winslet who has her greatest role yet and is simply magnificent. The film turns into a claustrophobic two-hander in the Half-Way Hut and feels like you are watching a play. David Mamet would be proud of the dialogue. In these intense scenes, the two main characters explore a number of issues including male vanity/sexuality and Ruths' general confusion. At the height of this, in an extraordinary scene, Ruth appears from the dark naked and urinates down her own leg. It is unlikely Julia Roberts would have the guts to perform such a scene.
The only slight downfall of the film is that it seems to go of the wall a little too much towards the end and loses some of the plot. There is a minor mention of Ruths' father having an affair with the possibility of a half sister which is never really explored. Overall, Jane Campion, aided by her sister and co-writer Anna Campion,have crafted an extremely brave and bold film that deserves to be seen and will leave you thinking about it long after you have left the cinema.
UK rating:
U
US rating:
U
Jane Campion1999, Australian
Kate Winslet , Harvey Keitel , Pam Grier , Sophie Lee and Tim Rogers
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