Subject: Review: Possible Worlds (2000)

From: Shannon Patrick Sullivan <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2001 18:51:32 -0000

POSSIBLE WORLDS (2000) / **

Directed by Robert Lepage. Screenplay by Lepage and John Mighton. Starring
Tom McCamus, Tilda Swinton, Sean McCann. Running time: 93 minutes. Rated 
PG by the MFCB. Reviewed on October 28th, 2001.

By SHANNON PATRICK SULLIVAN

Synopsis: Two police officers investigate the murder of George Barber 
(McCamus), whose brain has been stolen. Meanwhile, George apparently lives 
on in a number of "possible worlds", where George is the same man but 
others are vastly different, including his perpetual lover, Joyce 
(Swinton). What is the nature of George's possible worlds, and how do 
these relate to his apparent murder?

Review: "Possible Worlds" is an interesting but ultimately unsuccessful 
exploration of the concept of "parallel universes". Profound questions are 
raised, but are sadly tangled in a weak, unsatisfying story. As the only 
constant in each of the "worlds", George should be a strong focal 
character, an anchor for the audience. Unfortunately, he is a virtual 
spectre, gliding through the movie with little trace of personality. The 
same cannot be said of Joyce, in any of her incarnations, a role to which 
Swinton brings strength and evenness. But each Joyce is so prickly and 
abrasive that it is difficult to relate to her; consequently, the audience 
is left without anyone to care for. And while there is a wonderfully 
ethereal aura pervading "Possible Worlds", Lepage is unable to find a 
balance in this. The result is that the film frequently feels too slow, 
even boring. Attempts to spice things up by injecting comical scenes with 
the police officers are failures too, because the contrast is too jarring, 
and the humour feeble. And while it is understandable that Mighton leaves 
unanswered the questions he raises, it is less acceptable that entire plot 
points go unanswered -- what, for example, was the significance of a man 
found drowned in a room with no water? And this pales in comparison with 
the film's farcical ending, which is right out of a Hollywood B-movie.

Copyright © 2001 Shannon Patrick Sullivan.
Archived at The Popcorn Gallery,
  http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sps/movies.html

  |     Shannon Patrick Sullivan    |         [email-masked]          |       
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X-RT-RatingText: 2/4