Melancholia - By Lars Von Trier

Melancholia is a 2011 art film by controversial danish director; Lars Von Trier. The film stars Kirsten Dunst as Justine, a woman who we are introduced to as a bride, suffering from a crippling depression, whilst trying to appear like the happy bride as social convention dictates. Charlotte Gainsbourg stars as her sister, named Claire, a woman struggling to take care of her almost catatonic sister, and deal with the crisis that surrounds her. The premise of the film is that a planet named melancholia is about to collide with the earth, wiping out all existence, and the film attempts to explain the different ways in which we deal with these situations.

The film is the second in Lars Von Triers Depression, which started with Antichrist, and which will be concluded with Nymphomaniac this summer. The genesis of the trilogy came when Von Trier was undergoing therapy for a crippling depression that left him unable to work. The plot was conceived when his therapist told his that depressive people are lore likely to remain calm under difficult situations, as they are conditioned to expect bad things to happen, thus the film is split into two distinct chapters, entitled Justine and Claire, each exploring the different ways in which they deal with impending doom. The differing ways are interesting, and i will admit that although their reactions were not obvious to me, they make perfect sense, and Dunst's character deals with the whole ordeal with a bored ambivalence, and remarks that the earth is evil, and must be destroyed, a statement which was earlier uttered in Antichrist, review coming soon. On the other hand Gainsbourg's character has a complete breakdown, and is left unable to function, and completely petrified by the impending doom.

The secondary cast also behave in bizarre ways, Claire's husband commits suicide, an event which she covers up, hiding the body and sending away the horse, making it seem like he had fled. The first chapter shows Justine's wedding, as she deals with a series of personal and professional challenges, and attempts to do it with a grace and joy that is expected. What makes this film intriguing for me is the way in which it shows Depression with a realism and a deft that it a tribute to Lars Von Trier as a filmmaker, and Kirsten Dunst as an actress. The film uses the prelude from Wagner's; Tristan and Isolde, a great peace of music which adds to the films atmosphere as an epic universal story, and which is a great counterpoint to the beautiful images shown in the story.

Now we come to the more negative points, despite being visually stunning and well acted, the film is let down by its script, despite having a powerful story and an interesting premise, the film is let down by the fact that it has relatively little dialogue, and is at times  little slow, that said it is none the less a very powerful film and an interesting jump off point for a dialogue about depression and the way it affects our actions.

Melancholia is a good film overall, it if well made, well acted and clever, and only let down by its slow pace and apparent lack of dialogue, it is perhaps a film that is more interesting to discuss than watch. Rating: B+

Justine: Life is only on Earth. And not for long.