The Loneliest Planet (2011)
This is a film that sure takes its time, with long stretches of this young couple in love on a backpacking trip in Georgia hiking through beautiful landscapes. We see their daily routines of washing, putting up the tent, small conversations of mostly nothing. Then in the middle of the movie something extremely dramatic happens in just a few seconds, and it is a completely different film after that. Despite the second is basically more of the same routines of hiking, putting up tents and so forth, but the tension between the couple and their local guide is thick. But not outspoken. Everything is conveyed with body language and a deep exploration of “things that are not said”. As a viewer can assume that there has been some conversations off screen, but we are only left with the non-verbal tension and emotions. Clearly a film where it is the point that we should feel frustrated as things are left vague, unexplained and it doesn’t give any resolution. The film just stops, it doesn’t end. It balances very close to the edge of being too aloof and pretentious, but I have a thing for films that are deeply frustrating to watch, but leave me thinking for a good while after. It is a very small story stretched to 100 minutes, but it makes for an unique examination of guilt, self-loathing, self-discovery, instinct and forgiveness.
Rating: 4