Summary
Two people become victims of an organism, which draws the two of them together, forcing them to try and make sense of the ruins of their lives.
The Film
The first time I saw upstream color (when it first came out), I didn’t get it. As a seasoned cinema watcher, however, I found it to be immensely engaging and thought provoking. If you are just starting to get into art-house film, I might recommend holding off on this one. Then again, maybe not. It depends on what you like in your art-house movies but hopefully I can help you decide over the course of this review.
The first question to ask yourself is ‘do you want the plot spelled out for you?’ This is a biggie because this movie doesn’t explain, in words, almost anything about the surrounding context of the events depicted. It’s the sort of movie that shows you a woman being forced to complete a series of tasks by an assailant but never bothers to have anyone tell her why or explain the assailants motivations.
If you are a viewer that constantly finds yourself saying things like ‘I didn’t like it. I mean it just didn’t make any sense,” then you might be better served by seeking out a different film. If, however, you like films like “Under the Skin” or “Annihilation” which revel in and employ mystery and limited knowledge as a vehicle for the film to engage you, then this will be right up your alley.
Another thing that might turn someone off this film is its pacing and muted acting style. These are extremely effective tools as Shane Carruth (“Primer”) deftly directs. The lack of bombastic scenes or frenetic pacing allow a person’s mind and heart to engage on a level for which many films simply do not allow space. If you aren’t ready for that, “Upstream Color” may end up boring you. If you are prepared for that then expect to enjoy a film that engages your whole sense of being.
The imagery Carruth employs and the way that he doles out information beg you to ruminate on our sense of self, others, and the mysteries of fate, choice, tragedy, and belonging in a way that only the masters tend to even attempt. This film may not be to the same level of mastery as a Bergman or Tarkovsky, but the blend of just-barely-sci-fi elements with metaphysical questions certainly puts it on par with the modern sci-fi classics I mentioned earlier.
Once again, I find myself saying very little about the plot, simply because I hope that some people will read my warnings and disclaimers and, far from finding them barriers, will find them to be signposts showing the way to a spectacular film. If you haven’t been scared off yet then, rest assured, you will find the cinematography sublime, the sound design immersive, and the acting complex. You’ll find your own mind wandering in and out of questions that you may never find answers to even as you feel your heart satisfied by a sense of belonging and catharsis that you won’t even be able to explain.
That is the wonder of films like this. Explaining what the movie is about (two people who get infected with a parasite that draws them to each other) , writing an essay on it (Upstream Color and Its Metaphysical Suppositions), or even breaking down its scenes (what do those paper chains mean?) will never do what simply watching it can do. No amount of analysis could.
So, in the end, I hope you are intrigued. I hope you watch it and experience what I did.
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