- A second look as revealed what could be the best film of 2013
- Crisp monochrome photography- Arri Alexa 35mm
- Mise-en-scene compositions—photography—among the best of the decade
- 1.37: 1 box aspect ratio- influences Schrader’s First Reformed
- Another Pawlikowski trademark- his 80-90 minute running time
- Austere, stark
- Silent montage opening with nuns at the convent—Pawlikowski arranges objects in the frame wondrously—often with the subject/object in the lower plane
- Brilliant performances by both Agata Kulesza (Wanda) and Agata Trzebuchowska (Anna)—love the acting moment when Trzebuchowska’s face shows the shock of being told she’s Jewish – these are complex characters wearing the baggage of their history
- Gorgeous rural road with trees overhanging
- Actors framed in the doorway
- Kulesza’s character is a skeptic- alcoholic, nihilistic, she’s angry (and justly so)- Trzebuchowska’s (with her black eyes) character is naïve and sheltered—they’re a perfect pairing- in an alternate universe this would be a contrasting characters road trip comedy-
- The jazz club scene (and just outside) may be the zenith of the film’s many visual highpoints—there’s the gating outside (below) and streamers and balloons in the mise-en-scene like Von Sternberg’s work
- The level of detail in the compositions—meticulous- very light, every detail in the car
- The suicide sequence is breath-taking
- The trademark Ingmar Bergman face-framing device
- MS/MP
What a remarkable film about a woman and how she begins to question her faith. At the end she is unsure if she still believes in God. Its a gorgeously photographed, compact movie. One of the best of the 2010s. It actually has very little camera movement but its still so engrossing. Brilliant acted. Wonderful film.
@Azman– very happy to hear we’re on the same page with Ida! Agreed. Wonderful film!
This may come out to be strong but there’s no way on planet earth that this movie is a MS/MP. It’s a masterpiece of a supreme level. It’s one of the decade’s best with gorgeous photography, subtle acting and a narrative supremacy.
I’m not sure about it being stronger than Inside llewyn Davis (according to me best of 2013).
I recently saw both this and cold War again and before I was not but now I’m convinced that cold War is the best film of 2018 (for me it surpassed roma). It’s an unpopular opinion but Joanna kulig is the #2 best female performance of 2010s after Portman.
I apologize. I did the first comment with another email.
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