The Fountain

I saw the new Darren Aronofsky movie, The Fountain last night. I think it's probably the hardest movie of all time to review, but I'll try anyway. From reviews I've seen online, its certainly a love-it-or-hate-it kind of film. Personally, I loved it. It was beautiful to look at, emotionally moving, and made a strange kind of sense.

Aronofsky is known mainly for his films Pi and Requiem for a Dream. Like Requiem, The Fountain is very much a melodrama, with over-the-top acting and imagery. It works though, and makes the story deeply affecting. Hugh Jackman's performance is the best I've seen him give, and Rachel Weisz does an admirable job in two very different roles.

The film follows the two main characters Izzy (Rachel Weisz) and Tom (Hugh Jackman) through 3 plots and possibly 1000 years. It seems left open whether all 3 stories truly happen in chronological order, or if they are somehow happening simultaneously. However, understanding this is almost inconsequential to the film; its emotional and visual impact transcend the plot. I left feeling no less satisfied than I would have had I known what the heck was happening.

The Fountain was originally supposed to star Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, but the project was cancelled, and the project was deemed "impossible to film". Aronofsky then turned to another medium; if it was impossible to film he would have it made into a book-- a graphic novel, in fact.

Eventually, the script was completely re-worked and became the movie in theaters now. But the graphic novel is the film we won't see. It's very different than the movie, and includes lots of plot points, back story, and explanation that was worked out of the original "unfilmable" script.

This is not to say it's better than the movie (though many would disagree with me). I think they're very different works and achieve different goals in the mind of the audience. But if you see the movie and absolutely hate the ambiguity of the plot, the novel may clear up some points for you.

-Elizabeth