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The Eyes of Me 

 

*** Out of Four

 

Directed by:   Keith Maitland

 

 

 

Arresting documentary chronicling the everyday struggles of a handful of blind high school students in Austin, Texas who have to overcome the most mundane daily activities without the assistance of sight – but that doesn't stop them from achieving their dreams of relationships, living on their own, holding down a consistent job or just being a regular teenager.
    Brave, honest individuals are interviewed, some with great insight and others with lacking qualities (just like any teenage population), but The Eyes of Me doesn't totally construct an image of pity or sorrow for these characters.  In fact, it empowers the viewer to observe what true character and drive really are when spoken and acted upon by a person who can't even view our world the way we see it.
    The Eyes of Me could manipulate these innocent characters into bending our sympathy with a crushing blow instead it gives us coverage on what it means to be truly blind when crossing the street, working a restaurant job or showing true emotions when giving thanks without the eyes to emote reaction.  One such observation that stands out is a broken young man who sees great opportunity living on his own, getting a job and earning his way all while avoiding his educational responsibilities then suffering the harsh realities we all do when such avoidance is chosen.  Juxtaposed against that is a young, driven to success woman who doesn't choose blindness as a crutch but an advantage to be the best at her school (and in her life).
    Truly informative and enlightening, The Eyes of Me sways away from a saccharine-tale of misfortune and redemption about overcoming a severe disability.  Instead the film lets the participants live their daily schedules allowing us to “see” we all have issues of the same cloth just from different vantage points.  Of course we all have to wrestle with the same common misfortunes but to fully understand the task one must take without the ability of seeing when it comes to these scenarios is thought-provoking and stringent.
     A variety of situations are observed from the blind students perspective, in particular an eager-to-be-loved young man manipulated by a female schoolmate who appears to use his disability for her benefit (in a most nefarious way) then tosses him aside when she has finished with him.  A usual situation in any high school setting but when in addition with someone's blindness becomes a hot topic of bent morals displaying how young people are in more ways than one just rabid predators on the prowl for their next victim.
     Yes, it is sad and disheartening when unfortunate circumstances affect these young lives, especially when they're rocked to the foundation from what some would say is a curse, but it appears some of these youth will infinitely see better then we all will on conclusion of this film for the rest of our lives – and rightfully so. 

 

-Kimball Tanner

Troubled Water (DeUsynlige)

 DVD AVAILABLE 2/2/10

*** ½ Out of Four Stars

 

Directed by:  Erik Poppe

 

Starring:  Pal Sverre Valheim Hagen, Trine Dryholm, Ellen Dorrit Petersen, Fredrik Grondahl, Trond espen Seim, Angelou Garcia, Henriette Garcia, Terje Stromdahl, Anneke von der Lippe

 

 

           

            Compelling Norwegian drama follows the unfortunate path of one man who commits a heinous crime involving the death of a young boy and the consequences that haunt him even after his release from prison.  All the while the mother of the murdered youth seeks out the truth to what happened that dreadful day.

            Gives perspective on the actions and reactions following a terrible injustice such as this, eventual freedom from incarceration, and adjusting to a normal life for all involved.  True to form, never once shying away from the harsh realities of such an incident and the repercussions one must cope with albeit victim or perpetrator.  Hagen is superb in title role giving strength to the film’s message that life is fragile, reality can turn into a nightmare with one wrong choice and that sooner or later your past will come back to exact revenge. Entire cast excels to add on-target realism.

            Director Poppe gives a surreal feel to the film with excellent photography by Ingeborg Klyve and John Christian Rosenlund who employ Dogma 95 techniques, presenting the film in a “you are there” feel.  Added bonus is the organ score, by Johan Soderqvist, which amplifies the movie’s overall sorrowful tale.

            Obviously not a happy, take your family to the theater film, but allows for great intellectual conversation following the story’s conclusion about real-life situations and the end results. An impressive, mature examination of the dark crimes committed against others that generally get swept underneath the carpet by society only because there is no clear-cut resolution and the characters involved and there actions are not black and white but very complex to judge.  Director Poppe is not afraid to inquire and ask the tough questions especially when children are involved, bringing to mind other great films such as Little Children and The Woodsman.  A very somber but surreal piece of work from Scandinavia. 

 

Unrated film contains intense thematic moments involving children, language, sexuality and nudity.

 

Running Time:  115 minutes

 

-Kimball Tanner