First time I saw this film a couple of months ago I liked it, but in recent weeks I've watched it over again and have found it outright genius. This films has one of the best scripts ever. I'll say right now that this film will be a love or hate.
I love the mood, atmosphere, and the location. I think there are to songs used throughout the film, very effectively and just at the perfect times, one is a piece by Shubert (so they say in the film) and the other an instrumental/vocal song probably written for the film. I've never liked a film where the character thinks to himself and we hear his thoughts as much as this one. The writer rambles around the old snowy town, thinking, and we hear his thoughts. This is how the film works: his thoughts are never hidden from us, we hear his voice whatever he may be doing.
Incredibly well calculated cinematography. I love the pacing, the shots, so completely natural and perfect for the story. My favorite scene, like I'm sure many other's, is the 20 minute dinner scene. I can't begin to describe it but the dialogue is so well written, acted and shot. This scene has the funniest and saddest moments, and great characters. BTW, this film has absolutely no credits at the beginning of this film, it jumps straight into the story, I love that. Finally, I'd compare this movie, and i don't like to compare movies, to Bressen's "Diary of a Country Priest" and Tarkovsky's "Nostalghia". In all three film we hear the main character's thoughts. it's much closer to "Nostalghia" because the guy's a writer and because his narration is present tense, where as "Diary.." is retro-spective. Visually TEMA (I like using the Russian name because it's spelled the same in English and Russian T-E-M-A) can't be compared to either film though again the deep depressed existentialist mood is closer to Tarkovsky. Again, love or hate. If you like film where the time flows naturally and character's actions are realistic, and the story itself is honest and deep, if you don't mind a lot of excellent dialogue (say Manoel De Oliviera's "Um Filme Falado/A Talking Picture") and an immersive ride for the main character's odyssey you might like this. This film would be best watched very attentively, without distractions, the sound up, dark room, or simply as comfortably as possible, because it has such deep thoughts. Incredible film, purely. I haven't gone into the story much because I can't say much to make explain it's brilliance, one should just take a chance and seek it out.
