i've been meaning to watch this film for some time now.....but i know my usual reaction to Lars von Trier's films and thus know that i really need to prepare myself for the mood i will be in after watching it.....but after reading the review above this morning i just had to watch it
this is in my opinion his best film yet.....and i am amazed and disgusted by the fact that it did not get more attention in the usual "awards" circles.....esp when it comes to Kirsten Dunst's performance....
the pace feels more like a Wagnerian opera and honestly it feels as though he plucked characters straight of of the tragic Ring of the Nibelung (which i feel was his obvious intent considering the score is mainly Wagner's music)
this film deals with clinical depression in such a heart breaking and realistic way....somebody who can never be happy will see reality for what it really is "the earth is evil"....and anybody who suffers from this horrific ailment and or knows someone who does will be torn apart by both of the leading performances.....Justine (Dunst) is clinically depressed and Claire (Gainsbourg) is trying to keep her head about her in the face of absolute tragedy.....and as always with his films.....happiness is nothing but a fleeting illusion
i would highly recommend this to anyone.....it is as beautiful as it is tragic and for once there is even a little bit (just a smidgen) of comedic relief (mainly in the performance of the legendary Udo Kier) and the sci-fi elements add to the epic proportions of the film as a whole
god i wish i had been able to see this in a theater