Wednesday

I'd been wanting to watch The Bothersome Man ever since I saw it reviewed as 'like an Ikea catalogue directed by David Lynch'. Luckily the ICA was still showing it. The reviewer was only half right with his/her witticism. I'd say it's an Ikea catalogue directed by Ingmar Bergman. It really is like an existential reflection on interior design. I've read many critics use the word 'existential' without really knowing what they're doing. In the case of this film, though, I think it does apply. A man, Andreas, arrives by bus in a town, is given a house, a job, and easily finds himself a wife. He soon discovers, however, that all food and drink tastes the same, that all anyone ever talks about is furniture and redecoration, and that no matter how much he hurts himself, he cannot die. The concept is perfectly executed. The ending is slightly problematic: having ruled out death as an option, the conclusion feels a little weak, but I think logically it works. I don't quite know what to make of the 'other world' he discovers through a crack in the wall, or where he came from. Otherwise, the photography and music are brilliant, and the script, as you'd expect, minimal. I'm not sure if it's a film you could watch twice. It's quite explicitly a 'concept movie', if that makes sense. Although I suppose there are funny moments, and the actor playing Andreas is easy to like and sympathise with. Overall, definitely worth watching once (before you die).