A while ago I obtained an advance copy of It's All About Love, and stumbled onto a strange, surreal viewing experience. This English language Danish film was written and directed by Thomas Vinterberg, one of the founders of the Dogme 95 movement. This movement preached a return to purity in film making with no sets, no artificial lighting, handheld cameras, and no special effects. His first film, The Celebration adhered to all of these rules. His second film, It's All About Love, now playing in New York and Los Angeles, breaks them in every way possible.
It's All About Love is an odd title for a film that deals with almost anything you can think of; from fame to climate change, to figure skating, marriage, cloning, murder, betrayal, the disappearance of gravity, bystander apathy, and cardiac arrest. And of course, love. So it's strange that a movie that has something for everyone is not for everyone. It requires that you forget everything that you once knew about plot, and how a film should unfold, and just go along with it. Even though it brings you to a place you might not understand. The tone is like that of a fairy tale, or a fable.
We open in the year 2021. Due to climate change, the world is entering a new ice age, while in Uganda, gravity has disappeared leading to “the flying Ugandan phenomenon”. In New York, people's hearts stop beating, and they die suddenly in the streets, while pedestrians apathetically step over their bodies. This is the setting into which a young Polish Literature professor, John Marchevsky (Joaquin Phoenix) enters. John is on his way to a conference, but plans to make a stopover in New York to sign the final divorce papers with his wife, the world famous figure skater, Elena (Claire Danes). But when John arrives at the airport, Elena is not there. In her place are lackeys who bring him to her hotel. Things seem strange from the beginning. Elena is constantly surrounded by her sinister entourage/family, and when she and John are alone she confides that her life may be in danger. Elena is unwillingly at the center of an ominous conspiracy, but even she does not know the full extent of her involvement. So, John and Elena go on the lam, rediscover their love, and learn that the fate of their relationship has tremendous cosmic implications.
Many critics have attacked this film for indulging in absurd plot twists and delusions of philosophical grandeur. To this I'd say that from the first scene when we are told that the year is 2021, everything is fair game. The viewer must automatically suspend disbelief, and be willing to participate in a dream (or a nightmare). Regardless of absurdity (which may be intentional) there is certainly little to attack in the way of the performances (except for some iffy Polish accents). Phoenix's performance captures the desperation of a man trying to save the woman he loves (he particularly shines in the “ice ballet” scene). Danes' performance depends on her successful depiction of a woman whose needs are fractured by the demands of numerous people. Danes rises to the challenge. At one point we see her play four different characters. Sean Penn shines in a small role as the film's narrator “The Man in the Plane”. Vinterberg's direction draws inspiration from sources as varied as Alfred Hitchcock, Lars Von Trier, and David Lynch. Even those who take issue with the script and the actors must admit that the film is beautifully photographed.
Some people will doubtlessly come out of this film feeling cheated out of 90 minutes of their lives. Others may think about this film for days and decide to see it again. Whether you think the film succeeds or fails, you can't argue that it isn't unique and original: something that is rarely found in movies these days.
