Funny Games U.S.A. -A DVD Review

If you're like me you hate the idea of a foreign film being remade just to cater to american audiences. "Lazy americans can't appreciate a good film if they have to read subtitles!" I felt the same way when I heard Funny Games was being remade from the original German. I thought "Crap! Another import that should've been treated better than it will be by Hollywood!" I was wrong for several reasons.

First of all, the original was written and directed by Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke, director of the excellent french language Cache, starring Juliette Binoche. If you saw it, you don't know what you're in for here.

Well, the remake is done shot-for-shot by the man himself and loses nothing in translation.

As the story goes a couple and their young son travel to the lake to spend their vacation boating and playing golf with friends. When a polite young man shows up on their doorstep asking to borrow eggs the wife tries to accomodate him, but clearly, once he's been joined by his companion, the visitor has more on his mind than eggs. What ensues is a vicious, psychological series of games meant to torture and frighten the family.

Why does it work?

One of the reasons this film (and the original) is so effective is thanks to the director. I'm sure he holds the Danish principles of Dogme 95 at high esteem. Long, single, lingering shots are respected, as is the idea of not using an ambient soundtrack. Instead all music and sound are rooted in the moment. There's no building crescendo when something bad is about to happen as a cue to the audience, instead it just fucking happens.

Second, the lighting is realistic. In one scene one of the characters says "it's too dark" and he turns on a light to illuminate that which before was only a shadowy secret.

Now if you're a strict adherent to the Dogme 95 manifesto you'll find fault with this film, but I only said I believe Haneke thought about it. I don't think he tried to use it wholly.

Third, the pacing is intentionally slow. I'm biased to films like this (see my reviews of Gus Van Sant!) especially when they unfold as quickly and realistically as Funny Games U.S.A. There's more time for character development and tension, both of which this film has in spades.

The theme of male impotence is strong here. I imagine any man watching this film can relate to Tim Roth's character, and any woman to Naomi Campbell's character for different and similar reasons. Both are strong characters but their roles are turned on their ears and we as an audience are forced to confront the roles of protector and victim in ways no other film has done in recent memory. We're left frightened, humiliated, powerless, and looking to both protaganists to do... something! Anything!

Without spoiling, theres a scene 3/4s through where one victim asks the other for forgiveness. Heartbreaking!

Funny Games U.S.A. is available on DVD now. Rent it. It's better than most of the manufactured crap that poses as 'thriller' out there.

Also see Haneke's Cache. If you can read the subtitles you'll be fine, and you'll see a wicked film.

If you're interested in learning more about Dogme 95, go here, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogme_95

xo