A man (Stellan Skarsgård) discovers a woman (Charlotte Gainsbourg) lying in an alley, badly beaten. He takes her back to his room, where she proceeds to recount her early years and her extreme need for sex. This film confirms that writer/director Lars Von Trier (Melancholia, Dance in the Dark, Breaking the Waves) is one of the most interesting and unique film artists working today. There are flashes of cinematic brilliance, sometimes ludicrous intellectualization and a boldness in subject and form. Oh yes, and lots of matter-of-fact nudity and explicit (but not particularly erotic) sex. The performances are rich with Uma Thurman’s devastating brief appearance a highlight and Shia LaBeouf reminding us why he’s a good actor. A compelling, audacious, stimulating experience. (Criterion Ciinema only)
(4 / 5)