beautiful melancholic encounter

Jeffrey: There is definitely a sense that Justine's condition is more worthy of forgiveness or sympathy (as you mention) than the other characters. She is more open and honest about her problems. Claire is a yarn ball of anxiety slowly unrolling and Jack is arrogant and so totally worried about being right, looking smart and projecting authority that he can't handle what happens when proven otherwise. The other characters, with the possible exception of Michael, are all flawed and ridiculous in ways they try to hide as well. Justine is the one who (it appears) sees through it all and embraces what she is truly feeling. This sounds like defeatism but I don't think that is it at all.

As for her "diagnosis," I'm not sure it's ever really stated in the film. Of course, we know she is coming from somewhere - possibly some sort of treatment - in Part 2. But vT leaves it all clear but unclear in that we know there is a situation but have to put our own diagnosis together (allowing us the fun of this discussion).

To your point about some people being happier when depressed: yes, that is sometimes the case. However, that does not seem to be the depression from which Justine is suffering. She wants to be happy and tries hard to put up a front until it all becomes too much for her. We've all taken pleasure in feeling a bit sad sometimes but how many of us have been so depressed we couldn't move from the bed?

Anyway, I think I'm with John and Brandon now. Until I see the film again, I'm probably done discussing it for a while.

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Other movies:

I watched BRIEF ENCOUNTER last week. It was really, really great. I find that a lot of older movies are able to focus so much more on the story because they didn't necessarily have all the other aspects of filmmaking to distract them. Camera, actors, GO! The story was essential. Bad story = bad film, no connection. Now it seems to be so much the opposite sometimes. Throw is some special effects or some scatological humor and you've got yourself a box office smash.

BRIEF ENCOUNTER really draws out a this comparison for me because of the subject. A housewife meets a stranger at the train station and they begin a sort of affair. But it's done in a way that is interesting and nuanced and engaging. To make the same film today it would have to be oversexed with beautiful actors and simple plot lines. I don't know, maybe I sound stupid here. I guess my point is that I loved BRIEF ENCOUNTER and need to watch more classics.

Another movie that I watched last week was SLEEPING BEAUTY.

It's strange and - even though there is a lot of naked Emily Browing - not all that prurient. It turns out to be a slowly-paced and, at times, rather uncomfortable look at the nature of power, age and beauty that appeals to our voyeuristic tendencies. We are so often "looking in" rather than experiencing the story that it made me feel almost guilty. SLEEPING BEAUTY is an ambiguous but interesting film. And if nothing else, it is beautiful to look at.