David Nicolaou

Tempted to begin with performances and the ever great Oscar Isaac. But I’ll assume we all have a similar opinion of what he showed us and how he did the script justice. Along with Olivia and Mandy. “Emotionally manipulative” as one critic responded. If indeed true, manipulate us. To be forgiving towards some films with their often saccharin dialogue (because their genre has been set, and so Pretty Woman ‘delivers’ the goods as a romantic comedy), but hold something that heightens unimaginable heartbreak as manipulative or a cheap trick to get audiences to feel? Find a small bit of innocence again and remember there are flaws that warrant downgrades, and flaws like those found in “Life Itself” that we can immediate dismiss regardless of the romanticized language used to describe raw and very real scenarios. This is new storytelling – ex. Scenes with Oscar’s reinterpreting of events and marriage to Olivia...so as to punish himself as a murderer to remain connected even in death to his wife, rather than accept the cruelty of chance. I’d make the case that for all the different ways to tell a story, to portray its characters, and to see through the eyes of the storytellers – actors, writers and director – this was as pure to truth as one could approach. The past and the film’s focus around extreme events causing deepest of human trauma — yes it is romanticized; and shouldn’t a film take this avenue among all the alternatives? Most can’t express. That’s one reason we love film isn’t it? The poignancy of moments we all wish we could recognize in our lives... This beautiful dialogue critics’ can’t seem to stomach (a sad side effect of a maturing career - potentially?; or over exposure to the academia of critiquing – distancing emotions from the screen like surgeons do their patients...) Don’t just forgive it. Admire it. Mocking something so pure in its theme and what it aims to communicate – even devastate – allow yourself to be manipulated into the confines of tragedy and continuous trauma handed out in real life, regardless of how the writing irritates you (during the moments Oscar romanticizes his tragedy and loss, for example.) A beautiful film.