LogFAQs > #981490626

19. Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles
1975, France
Director: Chantal Akerman

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/d/d25ab55b.jpg
"I overcooked the potatoes."

Rankings:
Exdeath: 7
Inviso: 11
Seginus: 14
Johnbobb: 26
Karo: 27

total: 85

Exdeath:

Although it's way beyond the normally acceptable length for one of these projects, I couldn't in good conscience make a list of Art Films without the Sight and Sound Greatest Film of All Time. This is probably the Feminist movie par excellence, with just about every decision the director made being informed by Feminist belief - she commented for instance that the camera is kept a comfortable distance from Delphine Seyrig to respect her personal space. In particular, the crushing length and slow shots of mundane activities are intended to convey the idea of Jeanne being trapped within a patriarchal system even after her husband's death. The rigidity of her daily routine serves to avoid giving her any time for self-reflection, and the few moments where she does pause give the impression that she can't tolerate inactivity very long, particularly the scene near the end where she looks at herself in the reflection of a shop window. Of course the whole conceit of the film is that by showing you one normal day at great length, it can subtly convey the disturbance in her mental state that comes either after her second encounter with a John or when she overcooks her potatoes. Watching her leave the second button of her blouse undone is how this movie communicates that shit is about to go down. Even the classical ending with Jeanne finally lashing out against the system is conveyed as such a cold and hollow action in comparison to the catharsis most Feminist books I've read take out of murdering an oppressive patriarch.

I feel it's hard to argue that this is anything except a good film. It's original, challenging, and very carefully made. Still, the temptation to look at your phone or pause it to get up and make food is a near constant aspect of the experience, and I was definitely zoned out thinking about Evangelion for a significant portion of the run time.

Inviso:

So, when it comes to artsy movies, one of my big complaints is how fucking BORING they tend to be, often times forgoing plot for cinematic visuals and sound design or some metaphorical bullshit. And additionally, I tend to HATE slice of life movies, because the subject matter is so pointless that I feel even more bored out of my mind watching something so utterly frivolous. And yet, as evidenced by the fact that, as of this point in the list (almost at the two thirds mark), Jeanne is almost guaranteed a top half placement overallsomething about this movie just CLICKED for me.

Thinking about it, I think what tends to piss me off about slice of life movies is how a lot of the time, theyre still very boring and very pointless, but theyre often told from the perspective of a director that thinks they have something important to say. Theres often times no drama, but rather just a series of generic scenes that feel like nothing of interest happens. And the thing about that is that the scenes that were shown, boring as they are, are still shown with the intent that the audience is meant to care about them. But theres no conflict or no drama, and it results in Heres a scene of this time I went fishing and I talked to my dad and then we drove home. Thats dull as fuck to me.

With Jeanne, however, from minute one, it didnt feel that way. This movie KNEW it was slow and it KNEW it was boring, and it played that up. The first ninety minutes of this two-hundred-minute film is just starting in the evening, and following a housewife (well, former housewife since her husband dead, I suppose) as she goes about her daily routine. Nothing exciting happensits just her going through the motions in a very stoic and nondescript fashion. Something about the fact that the movie did not once during those ninety minutes make it seem like it was anything other than a mundane day for this woman. Heck, one of the first things we see from her is an off-screen sexual encounter revealing that shes secretly a prostitute, and yet even THAT is downplayed.

Now, admittedly, I dont think I could have gotten through a full 3+ hours of that, which is why at the ninety-minute mark, we effectively reach the end of that first twenty-four-hour period, and start anew. The second day two begins, its different. The vibe is different. Jeannes regimented schedule gets fucked up and it throws everything off for the rest of the evening. She goes to bed but winds up waking early, throwing off her schedule further as her morning errands are occurring before the various shops have even opened for the day. Having that first day of mundane serenity helps to establish that something WRONG on the second day. And that all leads to day three, when she just snaps, and for the first time we witness her nightly prostitute encounterbefore she straight-up murders her john.

Is this the most exciting movie Ive ever watched? No. But it wound up being a really interesting character study as Jeanne goes from organized and stoic, to a little out of it on day twoto straight up losing it over the course of day three (unable to find a button, missing out on her favorite table and favorite waitress at her local caf). Im stunned that I enjoyed this as much as I did, even though admittedly its not cream of the crop in terms of my filmgoing habits.

Seginus

Theres a payoff! Im so pleased there is a actually a payoff to this tantric cinematic experiment. It ends up delivering such a unique, singular effect that by the time it was over I found myself looking forward to a rewatch, even though for the first few hours I was questioning why I was even spending the time on this in the first place. Oh Jeanne Dielman, you saucy bitch.

You know whats really creepy, watching people silently eat a whole meal in one unbroken take. Ive never endured so much food continuity in a movie.

Johnbobb:

Between this and The Zone of Interest, I think it might be safe to say I don't particularly care for slow cinema. And by that I mean slow cinema specifically as an art form, not like slow-paced movies. The only exception I can think of offhand is Taste of Cherry, which frankly I'm surprised wasn't on this list! It's artistic, sure, I get it's whole thing, but ultimately I didn't get much out of it.

Favorite line from a 1/2 star Letterboxd review:
someone get this poor woman a cat or something