K-SCORE: 35
Writer/Director: Gaspar Noe
Starring: Monica Bellucci, Vincent Cassel
Spoiler Level: Minor
Irreversible, which I guess is actually spelled Iɿɿɘvɘɿsiblɘ (no idea why the ‘s’ and ‘b’ were the right way round), is a French film, violent, literally difficult to watch, and by-design not enjoyable. Not by design, it’s also a weak story. The scenes of the film are presented chronologically backwards, which, along with the title and characters making irreversibly bad decisions, create the overall theme.
“the camera spins in circles and flashes at you to try to make you sick”
There is some very graphic and long lasting violence, and throughout the film the camera spins in circles and flashes at you to try to make you sick, which is the whole point. The camera work is upsetting, but undeniably effective. The problem is the characters and backwards narrative. Because the violent conclusions are displayed first, the viewer has no context, doesn’t know the characters, and though disgusted, has a harder time suspending disbelief and/or caring. Also, I personally didn’t like or relate to the people too much even when the later scenes (earlier chronologically) came around, and even if I did, I’m not sure the irreversible theme is served when you get the opportunity to forget or have to remember the tragic ends.
It feels like the kind of film beloved by film professors. If you’re obsessed with the irresponsibility of superhero movies and Hollywood for portraying violence in unrealistic ways, or if you’re a person emotionally driven by violence towards women and want the art you consume to match your rage, then perhaps you’ll appreciate the realism and direction of Irreversible, but it doesn’t mean it succeeds at what it’s attempting to do, and that more than anything, is what I evaluate on.
I don’t recommend it to anyone I know. Avram could stomach it at least, but he probably wouldn’t like it any more than I did. Anyone else watching this movie would just find it (sometimes literally) sickening.