Where do I begin? This bold and ambitious film has to be seen, if just for the experience. The opening credits have Beethoven's majestic and emotive Symphony No.7 playing out a slow motion scene where the main protagonist suffers a serious injury while enacting a stunt for his first film. This scene sets the tone for what is to come. Finding himself in a hospital, potentially paralysed and mending a broken heart, the suicidal man befriends a young girl and weaves a lavish adventure story to win her trust and help him procure drugs with which he intends to take his own life. The fantasy scenes have a Dali like quality, visually stunning and greatly imaginative, and the cinematography both in fantasy and real life is exquisite. The boundaries between reality and fantasy overlap and take on significance to both the man and the girl, the bond between them growing stronger as the story unfolds. The performance by the girl, Catinca Untaru, is astonishing for one so young. She is so natural and believable infront of the camera and brings an impish innocence that could have been contrived or phony in lesser hands. Lee Pace as the stuntman deserves a mention as well. He is excellent in his portrayal of a man fighting what seems to be a losing battle with his inner demons and pain. A beautifully directed, highly original and powerful film that will stay with you for a long time.
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