Monday 6 November 2017

The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)

Director Yorgos Lanthimos sure seems to be a fan of the high concept. He doesn't even try to make his films feel real. It's all about the idea. The Killing of a Sacred Deer is very much in line in tone and mood to The Lobster. I wasn't a fan of the Lobster and I only enjoyed The Killing of a Sacred Deer a bit more.

Lanthimos once again appears to be approximating humaness in his films. He doesn't have characters act in a way that makes them feel real. Instead his performers move around like robots attempting to approximate human behavior. They all speak in dull, emotionless monotones even when discussing killing their children. Their faces emote as little a possible. The whole thing feels sterile, meaningless.

And my problem with his is not aesthetic. There is a quality to this which is interesting. But for me all power of the story, all meaning in the narrative was muted and practically dissolved in this sterility. There is an idea here about how cost is downloaded from the responsible to the most marginalized people and that's interesting. But Lanthimos' approach feels so devoid of context, of emotion, that that area can't be explored in a meaningful way.

What made Sacred Deer more palatable and intriguing that The Lobster, which was so laughably absurd and meandering that I couldn't stay focused on it, was the intricately fascinating performances of its cast. While I find Farrell is right in line with Lanthimos' barren approach both Kidman and Keoghan were revelatory in bringing their characters to life despite being told to keep it all behind the eyes. Keoghan especially gives a rich and powerful performance. Kidman reminded me of some of her best work. They both rise above what could have felt clunky.

Everything about Sacred Deer from it's disjointed minor score to the pale blank canvass it is shot against, is designed to be unnerving. Again, I am not opposed to that, but the story remaining so devoid of pathoes ruined any sense of discomfort we might have. When in the end Farrell shoots one of his family, I felt nothing, except some relief that at least some suffering was over.

The Killing of a Sacred Deer
Starring: Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Barry Keoghan, Raffey Cassidy, Sunny Suljic, Alicia Silverstone
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Writers: Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthymus Filippou

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