Rent Attenberg (2010)

Fantastic, powerful, heartfelt, first-rate movie - Attenberg review by EN

This film was heart-stoppingly good. It's no wonder Quentin Tarantino was so astounded by it; I couldn't agree more. Equally, I couldn't disagree more with the other reviewer here who for some strange reason thought this film was pretentious. It is not pretentious in the least! It is interesting, original and very, very heartfelt. It deals with grief and loss, and growing up, in the most tender, beautiful, yet funny way. It is a powerful watch, with some unforgettable photography and some incredibly tender performances.

The director and writer of this film, Athina Rachel Tsangari (also a prolific producer of other excellent movies), deserves all the Oscars put together (that instead every year go to mostly some dreary, overblown, unoriginal stuff that gets too much undeserved attention). If there was any rational justice in the film industry, she would be known as one of the most important directors working at present. Her latest film, Chevalier, I can't wait to see after this.

The plot of this film is simple; it is about the relationship between a dying single father and his daughter, a very tender, intelligent relationship, and about the daughter's relationship with her best friend, and also her burgeoning sexuality, as she becomes involved with a lover for the first time in her life. It is a thing of beauty - something very deep to be absorbed and enjoyed and treasured. Very highly recommended to anyone who thinks films can be an intelligent medium of the highest order, that can convey meaning and emotional depth, like the best literature or the best art, and are not just a vehicle for gratuitous violence, tawdry exploitation and tired old stereotypes used as a cheap substitute for authentic emotions. If the other reviewer here had bothered to see the rest of the film, they may have possibly noticed that it gets better and better as it progresses - but I guess they have such a short attention span that this kind of masterpiece just isn't for them.

On a final note - the Greece of this film is also stunning; not the picture-postcard-perfect - island idyll meant as the usual 'meat' to feed the tourist industry, but rather a different side of Greece that is rarely seen. I was grateful to see such a raw and vivid side of Greece, more honest, more moody, that felt very authentic, as though the director wanted to involve the landscape with the emotional impact of the film (at which she succeeds completely); it is rainy and grey, you feel the humidity and the graininess of the salty air, so much water surrounding the land, and the wind too, you basically FEEL the Greek landscape... like I said, a powerful and brilliant film. Watch it and be moved, and amazed.

Awful, pretentious, plotless piffle - Attenberg review by PV

This is the sort of pretentious film that used to wow art students in the 1970s. Lots of naughty words about s,e,x. Lots of stares into the middle distance. Lots of hysterical unstable young women.

I can't say if the second half of the film was any good because I turned this tosh off before the halfway point.

Just awful. Yet it obviously thinks it's so radical and shocking' It's not. It's just plain boring.

Avoid unless you like the most pretentious and yawn-inducing of Euro-cinema.

Jeez - if Greece makes movies like this using public money, no wonder the place is in trouble!