During the second half of my Chicago International Film Festival experience, I was able to see several films, three of which I’ll be discussing here. Two of them are some of the most hotly anticipated films of the year. But let’s start with The Components of Love, from Germany.
The Components of Love (Miriam Bliese)
The Components of Love is directed by Miriam Bliese and tells the often tragic love story of Sophie and Georg. When they meet, Sophie is pregnant and has been abandoned by the child’s father. After hitting it off, the pair begins a relationship, with Georg raising the child as his own. This becomes complicated when their relationship falls apart. Situations like this are always hard for all involved, but the issue here is that neither character is very likeable. Very soon, after their somewhat sweet relationship begins, they both say and do questionable things to each other, which not only makes the deterioration feel inorganic, but also leaves the audience rooting for them to break up. This is a problem in a film that relies heavily on the audience being emotionally impacted when they eventually do split.
Part of the reason it is hard to get invested comes from the heavy use of dialogue. Too often the characters say exactly what they mean and feel, which does not make for an interesting story. There’s no guessing if the two will reconcile or not. Luckily, the two main actors, Birte Schnöink and Ole Lagerpusch, get their emotions through the wordiness which allows for great performances to come through. The person who really struggles the most in the film is their child, and unfortunately the film barely touches on how their break-up impacts him. This exploration is definitely a missed opportunity. Overall, it’s clearly a well-intentioned and well thought out film, but a very surface level exploration of the topic.
Jojo Rabbit (Taika Waititi)
Yet again, Taika Waititi does the impossible, and succeeds in bringing a quirky idea that really shouldn’t work to the big screen. In the grand tradition of The Great Dictator and Life is Beautiful, Jojo Rabbit is a World War II satire that follows Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis) a Hitler youth whose ideology is challenged when he finds out that his mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie) in their home. Oh, and he just so happens to have an imaginary friend version of Hitler (Waititi) that he often goes to for advice. The movie brings together a very heightened Mel Brooksian form of comedy and moments of realism that shows just how unthinkable that period of history truly was.
While some have criticized the tonal shifts from comedy to drama, I found the emotional moments very impactful and earnest. Most of that is due to the exceptional performances of Davis and McKenzie. McKenzie, who previously impressed audiences in Leave No Trace, gave a Q&A after the screening in which she described how much care was taken on set to tell this story right, and it definitely shows. The film is also, without a doubt, Johansson’s best work since Lost In Translation and supporting actors Waititi, Sam Rockwell, and Rebel Wilson are at their best. Most importantly, the comedy is stellar, and in no way diminishes anyone’s experience during the war. Although some reviews have been mixed, I can see Jojo Rabbit making a big splash during this year’s award’s season. I’ll be rooting for it.
The Irishman (Martin Scorsese)
After 50 years in the business, a huge amount of respect from your peers, and multiple masterpieces to your name, how can you possibly make something that is just as good, if not better, than your existing body of work? Just ask Martin Scorsese, because he’s done it again with The Irishman. With an all-star cast that includes Scorsese, regulars Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Harvey Keitel, as well as Al Pacino (who somehow has never been in a Scorsese picture), The Irishman follows several decades in the life of mob hitman Frank Sheeran (De Niro) and his involvement in the real life disappearance of union leader Jimmy Hoffa (Pacino). It’s no shock that the performances here are out of this world. De Niro shows off everything he can do from intimidation to quiet vulnerability. Pesci plays a character much more subdued than his roles in Goodfellas or Casino, and it is some of his best work. But the real stand out is Pacino as Hoffa. He steals nearly every scene he’s in, and I’d be shocked if there wasn’t a second Oscar in his future.
Gangster films are viewed as Marty’s bread and butter, but don’t expect this film to be another Goodfellas. While there are many scenes and lines that evoke the classic Scorsese humor, oftentimes via Pacino’s iconic yell, the movie is perhaps unexpectedly emotional. Particularly the third act, which focuses on the heavy guilt one feels after a life of crime. De Niro as Sheeran at this point in his life is haunting. If anyone was worried about the de-aging technology, never fear. That high budget was put to good use and none of the effects detracted at all from the story. Scorsese’s expert direction allows the three and a half hour runtime to fly by. In fact, as soon as it’s over you’ll want to experience this achievement all over again.
That’s it for my second and final report. The Chicago International Film Festival offered a great variety of films, from Oscar contenders to hidden gems.
Which of these are you most looking forward to? Let us know!
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