Víctor Erice’s fourth film in fifty years is glorious. An ever changing tale it s a celebration of life and the movies.
The film follows a once up and coming film director who is brought on to a TV show to talk about his friend, an actor who went missing 20 years before. They were in the middle of making a film but the actor simply vanished. People thought he was dead, others weren’t sure. The show kicks off a search and to say more would be telling.
A film told in kind of chapters (Sequences from the film, the making of the show and the search) the film grabs us from the first moments and drags us to the very end. Actually it’s not drags but it acts as a pied piper and causes us to follow where ever it goes. We fall into the film because not only do we want to know what the tale of the mystery is but also because be care deeply abut the characters on screen.
And at this point I need to mention José Coronado as the missing man. Giving what is quite simply one of the greatest performances I have ever seen, he should be up for every award under the sun. He isn’t acting, he is inhabiting. That’s an absolute rave.
I was moved by this ways I’m still discovering. Indeed the film is so magical that I don’t have words to describe it except to say that the film is now part of my DNA.
I also think the film is near perfect, with only the closing sequence of the film within the film being awkward in execution- though it’s spot on for what it is.
I can not say enough good about this film, except to say that I and several others at the the screening I attended were of the opinion that this should have been the opening night film of the NYFF instead of the latest Todd Haynes. Nothing against the Haynes film, but the opening night film should be highlighting a truly special film and CLOSE YOUR EYES is exactly that.
Highly recommended this is going to be on your best of the year list.
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