Search - The Dress on DVD

Who's Dress?

Spencer Gorman | I can hit the Liberty Bell with a snowball | 12/22/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Ok lets get right to this one. This is a very well crafted film. It has that quirky Dutch fatalistic attitude about death running through an interesting sometimes tense and at other times amusing script. Yes, there are two characters that die, but of natural causes. There is crime but crime that is believable. My favorite thing about this film is the element of surprise. Surprise is a constant theme that runs through this film and I had no idea what was in store for the characters.
The dress starts as a fabric design that is the creation an artist, that has just had his girlfriend walk out of what she sees as a pitiful relationship. The plot thickens as this design is almost rejected by one of the company owners who also had his wife leave him. I suppose we are to assume that the energy of a design has its own karma. If you are following this, and I realize it isn't easy to follow, it is a story that twists and turns and has its highs and lows as we follow the pattern, to the mill, to the seamstress, to the store and finally to the consumer. Once the dress is purchased we have several suprises as the dress takes on a life of its own.
The concept of the film is old hat and this has been done before. There is nothing new about following an object as it gets passed on through life.
The script does not however simply tell a story. Characters appear and then reappear later. This is a very good and very well written script with superb performances throughout and unlike most independent efforts the characters are well developed. I felt myself taking sides rooting for the good guys and wishing ill fate for the bad guys. This is a taught, well directed unusual film that it written on several levels. It is also exquisitely photographed and at times borders upon Bergmanesque settings. I like the layered effect of cinema and the film is richly layered with unusual characters. It is both entertaining and thought provoking and at no time did I feel like I was being preached to as in most moral tales. There are elements of the French New Wave style of filmmaking with dialog between characters driving the action. There is plenty of action and a good build up of tension. The film offers a sexy element some very subtle nudity but nothing is overdone. A near-rape scene will have you on the edge of your seat. I am committed to reviewing films that are either Foreign or indie and are lesser known to the Amazon public. I tend to be tough and stingy when it comes to giving out stars. If you don't mind subtitles and are willing to take a stab at watching Foreign film. This one is well worth a look you will not be dissappointed. ..SG"