|
over the counter of a bar with a stature that begs for love but a voice that asks to be left alone. Through these scenes, Strathairn is able to provide the film’s emotional peak. “I am the king of the white chips,” says his character, describing with sadness the many times he has received coins from AA meetings after failed attempts to quit drinking. He is haunted by the downfall of his marriage, constantly reminded by his ex-lover’s daily presence at the same bar.
Later, after the plot brings Strathairn’s character a graceful exit, we get his wife’s perspective. Despite an elegant monologue by Rachel Weisz, the emotions feel contrived when juxtaposed with earlier scenes. What is supposed to come off as a moment of emotional clarity comes off as a character making excuses for what she has done. We are supposed to feel for her, but we still feel for her husband. In the film’s third act, Natalie Portman has similar trouble gaining our sympathy.
The problem here is that My Blueberry Nights has too many familiar faces. A movie with this tone and this scale should not have so many stars. As the scenes progress, each performer vastly overshadows the main character. The ending of the film, a rendezvous between Jeremy and Elizabeth, is unsatisfying because we care more about the people she left behind than her own chance at love. Natalie Portman and Rachel Weisz are bigger than their roles and Norah Jones is smaller than hers. The people making the advertisements for the film seemed to understand this well, giving all three women equal space, but placing Jones at the bottom of the billing.
My cynicism towards performance should not overshadow the beauty of Wong Kar Wai’s style. Watching My Blueberry Nights often feels like experiencing the work of a visual poet. Consider the minor glory of a shot early in the film in which we are looking at Elizabeth seated in the diner talking to Jeremy about her problems. Suddenly, the spray of Jeremy’s window cleaner blurs the shot and we learn our point of view has been obscured by pie shop glass. Quickly, he wipes away the liquid, bringing Elizabeth back into clear view. The moment sets up a nice visual metaphor about Jeremy’s role in bringing clarity to Elizabeth’s life. This is one of many details scattered throughout the film that make even the weakest scenes worth paying attention to.
Audiences can find more rewarding examples of Kar Wai’s mastery in some of his other films that carry the same themes as My Blueberry Nights but with more satisfying results. Newcomers are advised to view the modern classic Chunking Express or is similarly enchanting In the Mood for Love for better results.
The special features of My Blueberry Nights include a fascinating interview with Wong Kar Wai where audiences can ...
|
