Movie: Silk

I think I'm watching all the wrong Indie and Foriegn Films... they always, always end sadly. It could be said that they more accurately reflect life (although sadness and grief do not always equal depth). But if you're in the mood to be cheered, beware.

Most recently I watched 'Silk', a French film spoken in English. The cinematography was absolutely gorgeous. With locations like Africa and Japan it's hard to go wrong. The music, which to me far outshone the rest of the film's aspects, was haunting. The premise of the film is fairly simple. A young man, recently wedded to the love of his life, Helene (played by Kiera Knightley), is sent to Japan to search for silkworms that are untouched by disease. Once there he falls fast and hard for a Japanese concubine. The movie follows his obsession with the young woman and his love and loyalty for Helene.

I'm always wary of a movie that glorifies adultery. It's one of the few things I could never forgive in a marriage relationship and I don't particularly enjoy movies that make you feel sorry or champion for the 'other woman'. This movie, thankfully, does not do *too* much of that. Although there's no doubt that Herve commits adultery, our sympathies lie with Helene, who it turns out knew more about her husband's affair than she let on and yet continued to love and support him.

A couple warnings. This movie is rated 'R' for a reason, mostly by way of nudity. Also, if you're hoping to see a lot of Knightley you're out of luck. This film revolves around Herve's story and while Helene is a central character she's not onscreen more than twenty collective minutes.

Much love,

'Quel