A very powerful film about marriage and relationships between spouses in general. And deep love as well with all its complexity and curves. First of all I don't think that the point is the mental illness. This looks to me like a trick to make the situation more realistic. The same sick situation it would be depicted without an explicitly ill woman (or man). Lets ask ourselves how many times we wonder if our spouse behaves normally or is in the margin of insanity! The second point is that there is not a bad and a good guy. There is not a one sided responsibility for the problems. They constantly exchange roles. We sympathize them both in their sincere effort to get along, although forces beyond their power (that is why I declare that the trick with the illness works so nice) makes it very difficult. And the third point. Love is not linear and without curves. Their behavior is so different from time to time or at the same time. He is so tender but he rapes her. She is so affectionate but she goes for a one night stand with a stranger. She is so close with the children but she abandons them. And so on. The actors are magnificent (not only the leading roles) the cinematography is excellent, artistically is of very high standards. Highly recommended.
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denpolites18 November 2011
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hofnarr15 August 2003***Spoilers*** This film deals with the moodswings experienced by Kira, and although the illness is not specified it would appear to be manic-depression (aka bipolar disorder). The film didn't specify how long she was in hospital, but it was long enough for the husband to hire a housekeeper. When she returns home, she seems very warm and friendly (even getting into the personal space of the housekeeper and commenting she could tell she was a "good person" and then accusing her of sleeping with her husband and screaming at her to get out of the house.
Her two boys ask their father if they will be embarrassed by their mother's behavior and he assures them will not. Alas, this is not to be the case. (One wonders if, in fact, she has been sufficiently stabilized on her medications before leaving - the film leaves this up in the air, but she is seen drinking alcoholic beverages, which interact badly with many psychotropic drugs).
The film deals with the interactions of Kira's family(ies) - her father has left her mother some time ago, possibly because her mother may have the same illness. He speaks of her as being "full of emotion" and just not being able to cope with her. One wonders how her husband puts up with her behavior, ranging from going somewhat out of control at the children's pool at a natatorium to flirting with/going home with a stranger at a bar. She and her husband reconcile at the end, but one wonders. Both her father & sister appear, having been called by Kira when it seemed she and her husband were breaking up, and they both seem to have seen this behavior more than once before.