Attenberg [DVD]

The Greek oddity "Attenberg" by Athina Rachel Tsangari made me laugh almost instantly with its opening kissing sequence which managed to be both hilarious and strangely unsettling. This unorthodox coming-of-age story concerns a young woman in a coastal village who has never had to adapt to the harsh realities of the world around her. Her existence is relatively insular. She spends time goofing off with her best gal pal, clowning with her father, and doing an occasional driving job. She lacks focus. On the surface, it seems that "Attenberg" is going to be comedic, but there is much seriousness layered throughout. Within a short period of time, our heroine must come to terms with illness, mortality and romance. And it's the tone with which the picture approaches these topics that makes it particularly unique. Everything is so dry, so matter-of-fact, so deadpan. There is no emotional grandstanding and not many big moments, but we see the subtle shifts that start to formulate a newfound maturity in our protagonist.

I tend to think (and perhaps I'll be wrong) that "Attenberg" might be a love-it or hate-it proposition. It has a chilly detachment, an attention to minutiae, and a methodical pace that may make it a chore for some viewers accustomed to more traditional storytelling. That's precisely what interested me most, however. I really didn't know where the picture was headed. Conversations and interactions are kept largely on the surface level and most of the real intent and emotions within the characters remained subtext. There is a lot that stays open-ended and available to different interpretations. And yet, the moments that are defined more by what is not said than by what is strike a very organic feel. The movie doesn't feel scripted, it feels lived by someone who just doesn't communicate in expected ways and, at times, seems emotionally stunted.

Ariane Labed is quite fascinating as the protagonist. As she shares space with Evangalia Randou (her best friend), Vangelis Mourikis (her father) and Giorgos Lanthimos (her beau), I was always interested in what she might do. I'm not sure, at the end of the day, that the film amounted to as much as I wanted it to or affected me as deeply as I might have liked. Ultimately, I found "Attenberg" intriguing if not wholly impactful. Still, it has a brash and bold humor that I appreciated. It's not an easy recommendation, but a recommendation nevertheless for the adult arthouse crowd. I wanted to love it, but I remained emotionally disconnected throughout. About 3 1/2 stars, I'll round up for Labed. KGHarris, 6/12.

[[ASIN:B007HC8E7U Attenberg]

The film is visually stunning, unique, and brave in that it doesn't simply show a life, a history, or a particular point of view. It is directed by a woman I've never heard of before, takes place in Greece and doesn't depend on dialogue to tell a story. You see it, hear it, feel it and can almost touch it....... just as you can in real life. I love the silence, the lack of an orchestrated soundtrack, the songs by Suicide (a Psychobilly Band). There are no action sequences, special effects, or 3-D because it doesn't need it. You are not given any clues and it doesn't tell you how to feel or react. I think I can safely say that most people in the Northern Hemisphere would not like this film; which makes it very special indeed. What higher praise can I give it? This film could not, would not, ever be made in America. Now that the world is splattered with Starbucks, Mcdonald's, KFC, smart phones and the internet it is wonderful to see a film that expresses a forgotten, inner world. We don't consciously live the moments in the film. In reality... life and death happen to us... and we react accordingly. The film asks us to see and feel what is too often ignored, denied or left unsaid in this culture. It speaks to the heart not to the mind and must be viewed that way in order to appreciate it's value.

I recently saw that 2009 film from Greece named Dogtooth, and really liked it. I decided to check out some more movies in the same vein, which lead me to this one (the director of Dogtooth is a co-producer and one of the main acotrs in this one).

"Attenberg" (2010 release from Greece; 94 min.) brings the story of Marine, a 23 yr. old misfit who feels alienated from everyone and everything. In fact, her only solace seems to be to watch Sir David Attenborough's nature documentaries. Her "circle" exists of her best friend Bella (who refers to Sir David as "Attenberg"), and Marina's dad Styros, an architect whom we later learn has a terminal illness. Marina also gets to know the (nameless) engineer from out of town whom she chauffeurs around and to whom she becomes attracted. To tell you much more of the plot would ruin your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Seceral comments: first and foremost, this is a very touching relationship drama that focuses mostly on the father-daughter, and to a lesser degree on Marina-Bella, and Marina-the engineer. Second, I have never seen Greece depicted in such a grim and gray manner. Surely it is no coincidence that this movie was made as the financial crisis and austerity measures have wrecked havoc (and continue to do so) on Greek society as a whole. Third, this movie confirms that there seems to be a nice pool of young talented writers/directors in Greece. Can't wait to see what director Athina Rachel Tsangari does next. Fourth, the movie uses to great effect several great French songs to underscore the plot, specifically with two Francoise Hardy songs: "Tous Les Garcons et Les Filles" (emphasizing Marina's loneliness) and later "Le Temps de l'Amour" (giving a glimmer of hope), just great. Last but not least, please do not be put off by the DVD jacket, with that stupid picture of Marina and Bella grasping their whatever (what was the US distributor thinking?? check out instead the original and far better movie poster, it's on the Wikipedia page for this movie). Meanwhile, if you are in the mood for a quality foreign movie that is miles away from your standard Hollywood fare, "Attenberg" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.