Based on the novel of the same name, written by Laura Kasichke, "The Life Before Her Eyes" is a seriously depressing drama about the harsh aftereffects of a high school shooting, concentrating on the relationship between two female best friends.
It uses the flashback method, at once intriguing and infuriating because we know that the film is manipulating us, dragging us around the disjointed sequence of events to keep our interest. The difficulty is, the meat of the story is genuinely thought-provoking, and the lead's acting so convincing, that we let it play it's games, not nearly as resentful as should be expected.
Uma Thurman portrays the adult Diana Mcfee, a haunted middle age woman living with her husband and young daughter. Wherever she goes, the memories of the defining instant in her teenage life follow. it doesn't help that it's memorial day, and the TV and radio are talking incessantly about the incident that took place that day.
In between sequences of the grown Diana's sullen grief, we are shown fragments of her younger self (Evan Rachel Wood,) especially her friendship with her much different friend, Maureen ( Eva Amurra.) Back then, Diana was a rebellious, smart teen, infamous as a slut at the local high school for her fling with an older man.
Maureen, straight-laced, sweet, and devout, spent time with Diana though they couldn't completely understand each other. Although their draw to one another is never completely explained, I think it stems from their wish to break past their surface impressions and become more than 'slut' and 'good girl' in the eyes of their peers.
Every time the adult Diana begins thinking, the events lead up to one day at school. Diana and Maureen are touching up their makeup and chattering, when gunshots and screams are heard down the hall. "Probably just a prank." Within twenty seconds, a very dangerous, very unbalanced teenage misfit comes into the women 's bathroom, holding a loaded gun and standing in front of a teacher bleeding to death in the halls.
He eyes the two, crying and begging. At first nervous, he gathers himself up and points the weapon at their heads. To simply kill them, though, is not enough. First he deliberately, sadistically messes with their head, forcing them to make decision that will haunt them for the rest of their lives.
It is at this point that the situation becomes fogged in Diana's mind, forcing her back to her current reality. As she nearly processes, again and again, what happened that day, the effects of the shooting appear clear enough. But as she struggles with her guilt and tries to handle her strong-willed daughter's actions, the line between what really happened and the naturally assumed begins to fade.
Frustratingly, the interesting scenes between the teenage Diana and Maureen, leading up to the inevitable tragedy, are interlaced with Uma Thurman's Diana simply moping through her life. This may very well be necessary, but it doesn't stop the annoyance. The film clearly wants to keep our attention, but it seems to try much too hard. This is a blow that injures the whole enterprise.
Working against the temptation to hate the confusing, often rambling style of "The Life Before Her Eyes," however, are the good points. Ever since her tour de force performance in the indie drama "Thirteen," Evan Rachel Wood has been the often-hired actress to play serious teenage roles.
Here, she continues to impress with her shockingly realistic acting. Eva Amurri is respectable as well, and the interaction between the two is what keeps us caring how the story ends up, although we think we know.
Lastly is the gasp-inducing, disturbing conclusion that the whole story has slowly been leading up to. Judging from reviews, I had expected a twist, but was not prepared from the glaringly simple end revelation. In some ways, it is simple, and even hinted by the melancholy title, but there are certain aspects I am still trying to process.
This has all the aspects of a good movie- acting, characters, story- and ultimately it is, but some thing goes dangerously wrong in the presentation. Although the twist is adept, it is clearly compensation for the confusing, occasionally rambling structure of the storyline. This is not Thurman's fault, just something that deters an essentially good movie from becoming great (Rated R.)
Movie Recommendation- For a another dark drama about teenage relationships starring a younger Evan Rachel Wood, watch "Thirteen."
It uses the flashback method, at once intriguing and infuriating because we know that the film is manipulating us, dragging us around the disjointed sequence of events to keep our interest. The difficulty is, the meat of the story is genuinely thought-provoking, and the lead's acting so convincing, that we let it play it's games, not nearly as resentful as should be expected.
Uma Thurman portrays the adult Diana Mcfee, a haunted middle age woman living with her husband and young daughter. Wherever she goes, the memories of the defining instant in her teenage life follow. it doesn't help that it's memorial day, and the TV and radio are talking incessantly about the incident that took place that day.
In between sequences of the grown Diana's sullen grief, we are shown fragments of her younger self (Evan Rachel Wood,) especially her friendship with her much different friend, Maureen ( Eva Amurra.) Back then, Diana was a rebellious, smart teen, infamous as a slut at the local high school for her fling with an older man.
Maureen, straight-laced, sweet, and devout, spent time with Diana though they couldn't completely understand each other. Although their draw to one another is never completely explained, I think it stems from their wish to break past their surface impressions and become more than 'slut' and 'good girl' in the eyes of their peers.
Every time the adult Diana begins thinking, the events lead up to one day at school. Diana and Maureen are touching up their makeup and chattering, when gunshots and screams are heard down the hall. "Probably just a prank." Within twenty seconds, a very dangerous, very unbalanced teenage misfit comes into the women 's bathroom, holding a loaded gun and standing in front of a teacher bleeding to death in the halls.
He eyes the two, crying and begging. At first nervous, he gathers himself up and points the weapon at their heads. To simply kill them, though, is not enough. First he deliberately, sadistically messes with their head, forcing them to make decision that will haunt them for the rest of their lives.
It is at this point that the situation becomes fogged in Diana's mind, forcing her back to her current reality. As she nearly processes, again and again, what happened that day, the effects of the shooting appear clear enough. But as she struggles with her guilt and tries to handle her strong-willed daughter's actions, the line between what really happened and the naturally assumed begins to fade.
Frustratingly, the interesting scenes between the teenage Diana and Maureen, leading up to the inevitable tragedy, are interlaced with Uma Thurman's Diana simply moping through her life. This may very well be necessary, but it doesn't stop the annoyance. The film clearly wants to keep our attention, but it seems to try much too hard. This is a blow that injures the whole enterprise.
Working against the temptation to hate the confusing, often rambling style of "The Life Before Her Eyes," however, are the good points. Ever since her tour de force performance in the indie drama "Thirteen," Evan Rachel Wood has been the often-hired actress to play serious teenage roles.
Here, she continues to impress with her shockingly realistic acting. Eva Amurri is respectable as well, and the interaction between the two is what keeps us caring how the story ends up, although we think we know.
Lastly is the gasp-inducing, disturbing conclusion that the whole story has slowly been leading up to. Judging from reviews, I had expected a twist, but was not prepared from the glaringly simple end revelation. In some ways, it is simple, and even hinted by the melancholy title, but there are certain aspects I am still trying to process.
This has all the aspects of a good movie- acting, characters, story- and ultimately it is, but some thing goes dangerously wrong in the presentation. Although the twist is adept, it is clearly compensation for the confusing, occasionally rambling structure of the storyline. This is not Thurman's fault, just something that deters an essentially good movie from becoming great (Rated R.)
Movie Recommendation- For a another dark drama about teenage relationships starring a younger Evan Rachel Wood, watch "Thirteen."
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