The Souvenir

masterpiece

Even in the writing of this review, I continue to toss The Souvenir around in my mind. I left the cinema disappointed and frustrated by it, wishing it had let me in more instead of simply presenting itself to me, but a friend had told me that it is a film that grows on you. I think they may have been right. The more I interrogate Joanna Hoggs film, just as Joanna Hogg interrogates her own life, the more fascinating questions and provocations I find. Right now, I like the film more than love it, but I said the same a year ago about Chang-dong Lees <a href=/article/review-burning-one-of-the-best-films-of-the-decade>Burning</a>, and on my second viewing realised that was actually a masterpiece. Im not sure the same will happen with The Souveni...

I am not quite sure what Joanna Hogg was trying to achieve here. The depressing inevitability of the film's conclusion left by little jeopardy with the plot. The performances were fine, but nothing more - and the manipulative toxicity of Anthony's (Tom Burke) behaviour towards Julie (Honor Swinton Byrne) isn't developed anywhere near enough. The film does look good, though!