Review: “Softness of Bodies” is a frustrating, morbidly fascinating indie piece
Director Jordan Blady’s debut film gave me some mixed feelings. For the first half-hour or so, it was mostly irritation, but at some point it shifted to curiosity without me even noticing, and by the end I was more or less satisfied with what I’d seen, even if it wasn’t particularly polished. It was an interesting viewing experience, and I can’t say plain and simple whether or not I recommend it. I can only say what I think of it, and if it sounds like the kind of indie art house film that could draw you in, more power to you.
Dasha Nekrasova plays Charlotte Parks, an American living in Berlin who uses her poetic mind and financial struggles as excuses to be absolutely insufferable. Any scene focusing on her alone is aggravating to watch, though Nekrasova is convincing as a pretentious, unlikable kleptomaniac. The performance is astoundingly monotone and joyless, but that fits the character. As we meet more figures in her life — not exactly friends, but people with their own reasons for caring about her — she doesn’t become any more likable or fleshed out, but you start to connect with them. The funny and patient roommate, the ex-boyfriend who might represent what she could be if she put in any kind of effort to improve herself, the current boyfriend who, naturally, is in a serious relationship with someone else, all of them are infinitely more likable and provide some insight into why she is the way she is. She never progresses or becomes fully sympathetic, you just understand her a bit more.
The plot is slow and feels low-stakes even when a major plot development occurs, all the way until the sharp left turn the film takes in the third act. After that point, I can buy that this is how these characters would respond to the event, but I can’t see how the events leading up to it would naturally reach that climax. It’s not even really a tone shift, it’s just a jarring development that doesn’t seem to fit in with the rest of the film, yet keeps the same pace and comes maybe a bit too soon before the ending.
The editing was good enough, though there were a few odd cuts here and there, and the cinematography was promising. There are some interesting shots and color choices, though the vast majority of the film seems to be tinted a dirty-looking and unappealing shade of yellow. The synthesized score is nice and unique, never overpowering the rest of the film, and the runtime is short enough that you don’t want to pull your hair out still following Charlotte as she does one awful thing after another.
Softness of Bodies feels like the inverse of Uncut Gems. I try not to draw too many comparisons in my reviews unless I’m reviewing a sequel or remake, but the similarities in tone and character are too striking for me not to mention it. Both films follow a less-than-upstanding protagonist as they manage to infuriate nearly every person they encounter while still finding room in their busy schedule to commit the occasional crime, but where Uncut Gems features much better performances, a more cool-toned color palette, a more overbearing score, a higher-stakes plot, much longer runtime, and higher production value, Softness of Bodies relishes more in its protagonist’s awfulness and sort of meanders through the story until something happens that would normally be shocking, but here doesn’t feel all that consequential.
It’s also mercifully short by comparison. Make of all of this what you will.
A senior at Hollins University whose penchant for Disney led into a love for all things film. Amateur film critic/essayist and aspiring screenwriter/director. View all posts by Mary McKeon
Originally published at http://miseensense.wordpress.com on February 25, 2020.
