Sunday, October 8, 2017

Sea Sorrow (2017) NYFF 2017

Redgrave and her producer answer questions
Vanessa Redgrave reconstitutes a stage benefit into a film that she calls "a dramatic poem" which sounds better than a messy film.

The film is less documentary (despite playing in the documentary section) than a personal essay about the refugee problem and the unaccompanied minor refugees in particular. Weaving together the stories of the current waves across the globe with the personal histories of the talking heads many of which who were refugees at one time themselves, Redgrave hopes to move the mountain and get something done to make the children safe.

The trouble with the film is that it is all over the place as straight reporting mixes with personal essay and dramatic performances of Shakespeare. Few of the mostly excellent parts flow into each other with the result that we are never drawn into it. Yes the bits stir or intellect but the messy assemblage rarely move our hearts enough to take the action that Redgrave so desperately wants.

Its an okay film made up of excellent parts but you know you're in trouble when the burning desire one gets from the film is not the desire to save the children bt see Ralph Fiennes do a full on production of The Tempest you know you're in trouble.

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