Rent Ida (2014)

Shades of grey. - Ida review by RhysH

Shot in black and white or rather grey and grey. It is not just the choice of filmic colour that transmits the cold, the whole tenor of the film exudes the bleak Polish winter. A strange choice of framing from Pawlikowski in which, many times, faces are seen right at the bottom edge of a shot. Strange but it does allow the eye to wander and take in the whole setting, rather like walking down the street and looking at the tops of buildings.

Ida played by Agata Trezbuchowska is a beautifully nuanced performance and the alcoholic aunt is tremendously played by Agata Kulesza.

Ida: well worth seeing - Ida review by LJ

This original film requires effort on the part of the viewer to make connections, imagine what the lead character is going through at times and generally keep up with the plot. It is well worth the effort. Beautiful, intelligent memorable non Hollywood film

Ida - Ida review by PL

The best film this year by miles. The director searched over 400 actresses aparantly before casting Miss Trzebuchowska whom a friend spotted in a Warsaw cafe. She's no actress it seems, neither does she wish to be - though no doubt she'll now be made amazing offers after her beautifully understated portrayal of the main character, Miss Kulezka was also magnificent in her interpretation of the aunt. The black & white, the 4 x 3 format and Pawel Pawlikowski's determination of using a locked off camera for every single shot, was all a joy to creating a truly great film.

wonderful moving film - Ida review by CP Customer

Very sad and poignant story and beautifully filmed. The cast are brilliant and I can see why it won an Oscar!

Most interesting film - Ida review by CMac

What a superb film. Yet the brilliant young girl who played Ida appears to have done nothing else as regards acting. Kept us gripped to the end.

Spoilers follow ... - Ida review by NP

I believe they call this kind of film ‘world building.’ It’s an apt description of the results of a talented production team using budget and effects to sustain a convincing environment in which you can immerse yourself. In my view, such is the potency of projects like this, actors are there primarily to compliment this imagined civilisation. In 1982, the original ‘Blade Runner’ achieved this perverse enigma very convincingly. Here all these years later, is the sequel.

There was some mild controversy concerning original composer Vangelis not being assigned to provide a soundtrack for this, but Benjamin Wallfisch and Hans Zimmer’s score is impossible to fault. Vast, weird, laced with industrial swirls and chunky klaxons. Denis Villeneuve’s direction is vast and eccentric, exactly as it should be, and the myriad of art directors ensure that the society, the interiors, the streets, even the habitat of Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford of course: grizzled, isolated, but still very much the same character we knew 35 years ago) is as impressive and spacious as it could be, an arena so absorptive and convincing, you can completely drink it in. My problem is, at 2 hrs 44 minutes, I really felt the need for a change of flavour after a while.

It’s impossible to be impressed at wonderful representations of an intricately carved tale for that length of time with no change of tone throughout, no levity, no particular sense of strident drama and only an irregular threat (Sylvia Hoek’s splendid Luv). We have K (Ryan Gosling) and his girlfriend Joi (Ana de Armas, who, as a perfectly pouting, characterless hologram, is very good) and the very slow story of Deckard’s ‘improbable’ child Rachael, and the long trek to locate her. It is good, but thinly stretched over such huge running time. Wrapping it in the beauty of almost overwhelming effects and atmosphere is an impressive compensation, however.

Beautiful and original black and white film - Ida review by Peter B

I loved this movie about a novice nun discovering from her only living relative that she is Jewish and her parents and brother were murdered in World War 2 by local poles who then took over their home and farm. Agata Trzebuchowska was hypnotic on camera and i found the plot quite believable having listened to many polish people over the years. Much of the film is silent so when music appears it has a magical effect. Brilliant photography. Altogether beautiful and profound.