MELANCHOLIA

A depressed person is probably not that concerned about his or her wellbeing.  How can we convey this in a film?  Well, why not take this idea to its absurd extreme - let's show a depressed person not caring about the end of the world. 

It's no great insight into the condition is it?   But basically that's this film in a nutshell.

But on the plus side the acting and directing is all top-notch, and there are many beautiful and striking images to enjoy.

And I certainly enjoyed the first part of the film, entitled 'Part One: Justine', which is all about Justine's wedding to Michael.  Justine (played by Kirsten Dunst) has a history of depression, but I'm not sure that is sufficient explanation for her extraordinary behaviour - within a few hours of the marriage ceremony she quits her high paid job, calls off her marriage, and has sex with a stranger.  

Then we move to 'Part Two: Claire'.  

Claire (played by Charlotte Gainsbourg) is Justine's sister, but although she is supposedly the focus of this section of the film I didn't feel that the director Lars von Trier has much of interest to say about her, or her relationship with Justine.  

Instead the main focus of interest is the new planet Melancholia that is approaching the Earth and which might collide with it (spoiler alert: it does).  

Justine is chilled out about the possible end of the world (that's depression for you!).

Also chilled out is Claire's husband (played by of all people in this kind of arty tosh, Keifer Sutherland), because he trusts the scientists' prediction that there won't be a collision.  When it becomes clear that they are wrong he kills himself, which struck me as implausible given what we know of his character so really it's just a plot contrivance.   

It clears the way for the two sisters, together with Claire's son Leo, to face the end of the world in a calm and fatalistic way.

RATING: ✓ If You've Nothing Better To Do