Okay so this movie is 4 hours long and I certainly didn't expect to watch all 4 hours when I started. But this movie surprised me. Probably one of the better films I've seen in a while. Of course it is about a Nymphomaniac and this good citizen/psychiatrist, who finds her laying in an alley. He takes her to his apartment and that's when the film begins to recount her life up to when he finds her there. It has a film noir feel, but the narratives follow "chapters," which work to a degree, but isn't great: seems contrived to a degree. Also a less atmospheric Darren Aronofsky Requiem for a Dream type feel. I think the film aspires to more than it is capable of delivering, but there are some surprising twists. Of course there is A LOT of sex in it. But I think anybody that sees the film will be somewhat challenged by it. Currently you can stream it on netflix.
I actually turned it off about an hour in. I thought the scenes with Shia Labouf were ridiculous. and the way they kept trying to beat you over the head with the fly fishing analogy was forced. I thought the speaking voice and speaking rhythm of the lead actress was sort of hypnotic, and the director gets points for trying something novel. I also like the way they really hit you with the self-degradation angle from the word go, but on the whole, it reminded me of a little kid who tries to keep your attention by continually trying to shock you. It maybe would work in bits and spurts, but it's hard to stay shocked for four hours in a row. Lars von Trier, the director, is the same guy who a couple of years ago at Cannes said that he "sympathized with Hitler". He has a thing with trying shock people for the sake of shocking them which seems kind of juvenile.
The fly fishing part was only chapter 1. It appears you didn't get past THAT chapter, but they do move on from that. You really should watch the entire film before you pass judgement on it in my opinion, going through about 40 minutes of a 4 hour movie that actually ran 5 1/2 hours (director's cut) is like leaving a regular movie in 20 minutes. Believe me you miss a lot. And I don't think the point was to SHOCK you, more than it was trying to develop this character within the framework of the story. She even says to Seligman you won't understand, when he tries to explain her actions at the beginning.
I never watched Part One. I watched the end with Seligman. But seriously what? Von Trier has to be your new Mike Conley JR.
that's not the point of the movie, it's suppose to 'uncomfortable' arthouse. wait til you get to volume 2.
