Keyhole (2011)

Gangster and deadbeat dad, Ulysses Pick, embarks on an unusual journey through his home.

Director:

Guy Maddin

Writers:

George Toles (screenplay), Guy Maddin (screenplay)

Stars:

Jason Patric, Isabella Rossellini, Udo Kier

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jason Patric	...	Ulysses Pick
Isabella Rossellini	...	Hyacinth
Udo Kier	...	Dr. Lemke
Louis Negin	...	Calypso / Camille
Brooke Palsson	...	Denny
Suzanne Pringle	...	Brooke Palson's body double / Gun Moll
David Wontner	...	Manners
Kevin McDonald	...	Ogilbe
Daniel Enright	...	Big Ed
Theodoros Zegeye-Gebrehiwot	...	Heatly
Brent Neale	...	Denton
Olivia Rameau	...	Rochelle
Claude Dorge	...	Belview
Jorge Requena	...	Frosty
Mike Bell	...	Milo

Storyline

In a house haunted with memories, gangster and father Ulysses Pick (Jason Patric) arrives home after a long absence tow­ing the body of a teenaged girl and a bound and gagged young man. His gang waits inside his house, having shot their way past police. There is friction in the ranks. Ulysses, however, is focused on one thing: journey­ing through the house, room by room, and reaching his wife Hyacinth (Isabella Rossellini) in her bedroom upstairs. His odyssey eventually becomes an emotional tour, as the strange nooks and crannies of the house reveal more about the mysterious Pick family.

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Plot Keywords:

gangster | bound and gagged | sex with ghost | tied to a chair | male rear nudity | 

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Taglines:

"I'm only a ghost...but a ghost isn't nothing".

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for graphic nudity, sexuality, violent content and some language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

Canada

Language:

English French

Release Date:

22 February 2012 (France)

Also Known As:

Dziurka od klucza

Filming Locations:

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$3,884 (USA) (13 April 2012)

Gross:

$22,099 (USA) (15 June 2012)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Everyday Pictures, Buffalo Gal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

User Reviews

Expectations are Key

Before viewing, I saw this film referred to as a '30s Gangster homage' or noir-styled 'drama'. For anyone expecting a throwback film or conventional narrative, Keyhole will confuse and then, probably, disappoint. In fact, Keyhole is a very abstract take on the memories and emotions harboured inside an old house, which is inhabited by ghosts and other slaves to the past. And while Keyhole isn't a gripping crime thriller, neither should it be taken purely as an academic statement or challenging art-house experiment. Like most of Maddin's films, the dark absurdity and creative imagery is almost casually amusing and less pretentious than comparable movies. The cinematography, music, art direction and performances are tremendously captivating, if occasionally over-bearing. For anyone who's intrigued by these elements as much as by the often-mislead depiction of the film in mainstream media should definitely see Keyhole. Anyone who's turned off by bizarre inventions of unorthodox storytelling should leave this door locked.