The Governess
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Movie Reviews of The Governess
Movie Review: Sometimes, More is Too Much
Summary: 2 Stars
I was very interested in seeing "The Governess" and fairly lept at the opportunity to do so when my friend Marion suggested it. What a disappointment! Haven't been so let down since "Murder on the Orient Express" as a child.What's the matter? The major problem is that there's just too much crammed into the movie as plot devices. Why not deal with just a few circumstances, than have all this tumult which in the end, doesn't even signify?
Interesting premise in a nutshell description: A 19th century Jewish woman must conceal her religion as she takes up a governess position. That's how it was presented, and frankly, that's enough. No, how about her father gets murdered in the street! Well, that was shocking, but what of it? It never got solved, it never figured in the rest of the movie. I mean, he could have just, you know, died. Why murdered? Then she goes off to the dreariest place in all of Scotland. The master of the house keeps trying to make early photographs. The Governess takes it upon herself to solve his problems developing film by dumping salt in his solutions. Hey what do you know, he evidently gets credited as the inventor of the photograph, when it was really The Governess. Well, what about that? Couldn't that be a good feminist statement in and of itself? No, let's begin a torrid, somewhat unmotivated affair. Then she takes nude photos of him for a change. Uh-oh, that's the limit, too vulnerable a position for a man. Finally, she's off to London again as a photographer in her own right, and guess who walks into the salon...? Enough already.
I just found it more preposterous as it went on. I was more than willing to accept some off-the-beaten-track developments, but this was aimless messing about. No motivation or follow-through.
Take a lesson from me; avoid "The Governess".
Movie Review: unrealistic script, beautiful videography
Summary: 2 Stars
I was drawn to "The Governess" because I found it on the late Ofra Haza's site. It seems that everytime Rosa/Mary goes further from her Jewishness her conscience manifests itself in Ofra's chants (which are NOT Sefaredi, but Yemenite, and NOT the same). The attempt to recreate Sefaredi lifestyle seemed totally unrealistic (Ashkenazi Torah scroll, prostitutes who use Yiddish instead of Ladino, men and women dancing right next to each other). I read that the author of "The Governess" has a Jewish father and Scottish mother. Apparently he assumes that a Sefaredi woman would easily give her virginity to a Scottish gentile and then have relations with his son who is even more disgusting than him, though historically Jewish women have chosen SUICIDE rather than do so (most recently in Sana, Yemen w/a young Jewess jumping off of a high cliff rather than marrying a Yemeni gentile and during the Holocaust in Europe when Jewish girls ingested poison rather than submit), yet suddenly our Jewess is SEDUCING an INNOCENT SCOTT! And where do those Jews in London live? Right next to a brothel of course! Also, why does Rosa reveals her breasts to those prostitutes (and that's BEFORE the pressure for her to marry $ even arises)? Is that her competition? Maybe that's how the author views Jewish women? Even though the soft, pastel colours were rich and pleasant both in Scotland (what dramatic lighting in his lab!), the synagogue in London and their house in London, I felt disgusted by the movie's cheapening of Jewish women (and NO, I don't see it as a playing out of the Esther model since her people are not a risk in Scotland, Rosa/Mary just wants to be an actress, which I think is a play on prostitution).Movie Review: Disturbing.
Summary: 2 Stars
I bought this movie because it looked wonderful and it was filmed to make everything look its best. The biggest problem, however, was the story. Although this story shares much of the Jane Eyre mold, older man who isn't exactly the best looking, here, I could see nothing even remotely redeeming about Mr. Cavendish. He was not attractive, he was not charming, he was not moral -- but he was manipulative, mean, and weak. Yet this woman falls for him for almost no reason. I have never seen such horrible kissing on screen, and both actors looked oddly uncomfortable.
It is also amazing that this jewess who is supposely religious, would fall so easly for a married man in this time period. Even in Jane Eyre once the older man was discovered to be married Jane would have nothing to do with him. Here, Mary just surrenders herself almost immediately betraying a current sensability that just doesn't fit with the rest of the story. Not to mention that she beds the son as well as the father.
Plus frankly, the full frontal male nudity of Cavendish just really wasn't necessary.
All and all skip this one no matter how good it looks.
Movie Review: I'm afraid I lost interest quickly
Summary: 2 Stars
Beautiful cinematography, wonderful cast, lush costumes and locations, and a completely soggy script *sigh*I'm a big fan of period pieces, and love Mini Driver, but really, I couldn't sit through this film in its entirety. I ejected the disk about half way through, and went and read a book.
Movie Review: But we can be any self we want, can't we?
Summary: 1 Stars
The Governess was, by far, a very pitiful film. I do not use this word loosely, as it honestly was a poor excuse for a movie. I finished watching this feature with only one word on my mind ... "why"? Honestly, you could use this question at the end of every scene of this film and it would seem like it fit. There were so many inconsistencies that lead to a lack of development (both in the story and in the characters) which ultimately lead to a very confusing film with actors walking through the motions instead of giving any explanation. Scenes would occur with no foreshadowing, understanding, or drive to a complete ending. It was as if I was watching several different ideas thrown together without really any resolution. Actors were setting events in motion that did not seem to fit their character or really were resolved. This was my biggest issue with this film. The complete and utter lack of structure to this film brought all specks of foundation crumbling down with a genuine "ripple-effect" being felt throughout the rest of the film as a result.
Let me explain myself further on this lack of consistency throughout the film. I would liken this film to a bowl of lumpy oatmeal that had a zebra in it. It made no sense nor was there any logic behind it all. Minnie Driver was the worst culprit of this deed. Her character's lines were drawn very fuzzy and nearly transparent. She would do things like talk about sex all the time with her sister, but yet she seemed very open to sexual experiences all the time. She has her first moment of passion in this film, and there is no pain or excitement. It nonchalantly happens, and this just didn't seem to fit the original conversation that we had at the beginning of the film with Rosina and her sister. She is a very intelligent woman that accidentally finds a solution to Wilkinson's problem and suddenly wants full rights to his invention? That was confusing and completely random. Is it not obvious to anyone else that her teaching methods were non-existent. Anyone in their right mind could see that she wasn't teaching Cavendish's daughter anything. The sudden and awkward relationship that randomly forms between Driver and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers nearly had me laughing out loud. I thought maybe I had discovered some magic in this film as Rhys-Meyers literally "poofed" into the scene and suddenly caused some unneeded drama. It felt that the director (or writer) was thinking that the original story was going nowhere fast, so by adding this random character we may be able to advance the plot a bit (or confuse the lesser film enthusiasts). Well, it didn't fool me, I saw that he was nearly a "cut-and-paste" character used to strengthen an already weakened story. Don't get me started on the ending, which had no consistency to the rest of the story. Again using the "cut-and-paste" method, the writer of this film needed a way to just end the story, and this was the only solution they could arrive to. It is sad when actors are forced to do things out of character ... but I guess that is the name of the game in Hollywood. Fix until completely broken, or at least salvageable.
The remainder of the story was unexciting dribble. There were maybe a handful of neat cinematography moments where you could see that there was one sliver of creativity trying to peak through coupled with some bars of decent, period piece music, but nothing to write to Grandma about. More family structure with some stronger introductions could have strengthened this film a bit more, but as I stated before, by leaving open-ended scenes just lying around the entire film, you will experience a crack in your foundation. What may seem like a sturdy story, will eventually wear down over time, and by the end of this film I felt that the house was crumbling down on top of me. Wilkinson plays his normal self in this film, while Driver apparently did not want to get naked, but everyone else had too (I will have to see a doctor after those images were burned into my eyes ... eeewwww). Also, she wore the same dress everyday. That was disgusting and I could smell her through the television. Sex and dirty laundry. Now there is a great film for you! There just seemed to be some potential floating around here, but instead it was just rubbish. Nothing was answered, questions seemed to fall like snow in Alaska, and mediocrity seemed to reign supreme.
Overall, this could have been a decent film that combined the powerful themes of science and love together, but instead it was just pitiful. I cannot stress enough the disturbing fact that characters were going through motions without any sort of pre-explanation. I don't need cinematic moments handed to me like a child, but something should have been done to build a foundation. Just remember the oatmeal with a zebra analogy that I used. If you were as confused about that as I was, then you will completely understand the film The Governess, while if you prefer zebras in your oatmeal ... then, maybe this film is for you!
Grade: * out of *****