The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Starring: Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner
Directed by: Julian Schnabel
Rated: PG-13
5 stars
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is only the third film Julian Schnabel has made, but it is likely to cement his position as one of the greatest filmmakers of our time – if not, at least he’s already one of the most prominent painters alive. The movie depicts the true story of Jean-Dominique Bauby (Almaric), the editor of Elle, who suffered a stroke that left his entire body paralyzed apart from one eyelid. Using a system of blinking, he managed to dictate an entire book. While the film focuses on Jean-Dominique’s time in the hospital, the story often flashes back to his life prior to the accident, creating powerful contrasts between a successful Parisian writer with an enormous ego and a man barely alive at all.
Although the fact that Bauby managed to write a book by blinking his eye boggles the mind, the film’s true power comes from the way Schnabel portrays Jean-Dominique’s relationships with his friends and family before and after the stroke. In particular, one scene shows the slightly egotistical and smug attitude Bauby had prior to his stroke as he interacts with his father (Max von Sydow) whose health has begun to deteriorate. A few scenes later, using his system of blinking, Bauby calls his father, who is now much healthier than his son. Max von Sydow’s performance creates what is easily the most emotionally gripping scene in the movie.
While the story is perfectly told, the cinematography alone makes the film worth watching. Using a special camera technique, Schnabel was able to recreate the movements of Bauby’s eye in the hospital, giving the picture a surreal feeling. As the films cuts between his point of view and more traditional shots in the hospital, one can better understand the sense of helplessness and enclosure Bauby feels (likened to being trapped in a diving bell). As these shots contrast with brighter and more robust images outside the hospital, the varying look of the picture tells a story in itself.
At its premiere during the Cannes Film Festival, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly received a well-deserved 20-minute standing ovation, and Schnabel won the award for Best Director. Since then, the film has been nominated for several critics’ awards, has three Golden Globe nominations, and will almost certainly receive several Oscar nominations.
Here’s the trailer:
-Kevin Koplan