If Lynne Ramsay's brilliant debut Ratcatcher (1999) represented some of the very best aspects of British filmmaking, her follow-up, Morvern Callar, quite possibly represents some of its very worst.
Based on Alan Warner's acclaimed novel and fuelled by a disconcertingly eccentric soundtrack from cult label Warp Records, the film follows the internal and external journey of Morvern Callar (Samantha Morton), a young girl who appropriates her dead boyfriend's unpublished novel and, alongside dealing with her own grief, leaves her job stacking shelves in a parochial Scottish town, goes to Spain with her best friend and finally claims an advance for the book's publication.
An unforgettable opening sequence sees Morton waking up to caress her dead boyfriend lying on the floor in a pool of blood and, for what seems like an unbearable period of time, the only sound comes from the electric buzz of flashing Christmas tree lights. Apparently Ramsay had initially wanted to film without any dialogue at all. As it is, to describe the dialogue - when it finally arrives - as sparse, would be an understatement. Morton, perhaps one of most expressive British actresses of her generation (and one who seems to have now specialised in portraying those in a state of catatonia) carries the film. It is entirely to her credit that the weird, wilful and basically dislikeable Morvern is even watchable.
But in creating Morvern's internal world, Ramsay has painted a self-indulgent dreamscape paying little attention to narrative or character motivation and offering little respite from the film's unremitting dirge.
Warner's story of a woman's personal journey from her mundane life on the remote Scottish coast, via the hedonism of the Costa del Clubland and subsequent re-invention in the empty Spanish Sierra to her liberation into a new life is intensely introspective. But in adapting the book, Ramsay has made a few key changes. While Morton's performance is compelling, the decision to change Morvern's character from Scottish to English is inexplicable. The novel's point is that Morvern is so transformed by her experience she can escape her existence. But by being English and in Scotland, she is implicitly portrayed to be someone who has already arrived from somewhere else. In the book, a one-night stand in Spain leaves Morvern pregnant, and the book ends with her filled with the prospect of new life, yet Ramsay chooses to omit this detail. And when a U.K. film executive (who also happens to be one of Ramsay's best friends) crops us as a trendy London publisher, you wonder whether this film could get any more self-indulgent.
The greatest tragedy is that a female filmmaker with such potential could be allowed to drown herself in such a quagmire. There's a glimpse of genius, but it's just not enough.
Reviewed by Monika Maurer
Reader comments about Morvern Callar
SNAFU V-Townend (Solidstatesoulreceiver@hotmail.com) writes:
One of yor criticims of Ramsays film is the lack of character motivation, yet in Warners novel, Morvern never reveals any defined motivation, remaining politically and morally ambiguous through out. As far as narrative is concerned, I belive it is important that film makers continue to reinvent the dialoge of the medium, by making a film that has no definable middle, end, etc, Ramsay has created a film that is more closely connected to reality, than traditional cinema. As for bad British film making, I'd rather watch this than Billy friggin Elliot any day.
James Chong (in_dig_ent@yahoo.com) writes:
i think that what lynne ramsay is attempting to do in her filmmaking is remain true to the idea of cinema as a purely visual medium. this is a concept that hollywood filmmakers have completely cast aside, preferring rather to make films that are driven entirely by comfortable, three act plots that lazy viewers who find it a chore to think can readily latch onto. ramsay's films are haunting visual tone poems that stay with you for days afterwards. the images cut together in a certain way reveal reflected fragments of a deeper truth, and this is how cinema should be.
Emma Nixon (info@northernfilmnetwork.co.uk) writes:
I saw it for the third time last night and I continue to be completely moved by every moment. Samantha Morton is brilliant as Morvern and your reference to her being type cast is typical! Why does everything you critics write have to be in comparison to the previous film or role, do you find it impossible to see something on its own or out of context of its makers? I tried to forget about RATCATCHER (which was beautiful) when I saw it for the first time because I knew the story of Morvern Callar was different and needed a different treatment.
It was brilliant to see them at the Edinburgh Festival on stage and ALL women. To me this is a beautifully handled and perfectly executed film, which invites me to see through Morverns eyes but not completely empathising with her.
richard (rjhillier@yahoo.com) writes:
i agree with the 3 above. The wide eyed vacuity of Morton's character says something meaningful to the MDMA generation. The open-endedness is deliberately frustrating to those who do not worship the angry goddess. It makes them fall in love with death. It was an anthem for doomed youth.
ellen (Email address withheld) writes:
I don't know that I have ever read a review where I agreed on every point - Monika is on the mark with this review
paul (paulhjazz@yahoo.co.uk) writes:
I saw the film this week for the first time and found it a powerful and haunting tale. The visuals are stunning and the slow moving pace and almost 'drunken' camera movements are completely in touch with Morvern's character. It is also true that the plot is minimal and open-ended, not to mention amoral; the apparent disposal of the body freaked me out to say the least!
I must also say that I would not merely applaud the fact that there were only women on stage at Edinburgh; what's wrong with a mixed cast/crew for goodness sake?
nathan (nathanemory@yahoo.com) writes:
I'd rather watch a film that's looking in from the outside, than I would want to see another tanned blonde romance her prince in Hollywood while posing alongside America's best and brightest.
Samantha Morgans (Email address withheld) writes:
I generally don't care for the practice of movies and TV series using as a title the name of the main character. I'll let it slide here, seeing as this film is about little else. Samantha Morton is captivating in the title role. Morvern likes fire, darkness and solitude—the unholy trinity of Scottish Goth chicks. The deliberateness with which she taps the Delete key is downright unnerving. Then she mails it and puts it out of her mind whilst the shadows of the trails of raindrops on the window run down her face like tears. The whole trip to Spain came across as totally unnecessary.
I give this film three black candles (out of four).
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