The Greatest Showman #829 - Author Movies

As one of the most high-profile films at this year's Berlin Film Festival, the premiere of Transcendence ended to a standing ovation lasting nearly four minutes, followed by 90 minutes of audience questions and media interviews. This undoubtedly brought the atmosphere of the festival to its peak. In the icy, snowy February, a rare wave of warmth had arrived, which was truly encouraging.

However, does this mean detachment has been a success?

Obviously not. The applause signifies the audience's approval of the film's artistry; the buzz signifies the reporters' recognition of its topicality. But this doesn't mean the critics appreciate the film, nor does it guarantee that audiences will love it. Controversy, humor, praise, and fervor—these reactions are intricately linked.

James Bernard didn't like the movie.

James attended the Berlin Film Festival as a representative film critic for Village Voice. Before the festival, Transcendence was undoubtedly his most anticipated film—not because of Tony Kaye, but because of Renly Hall.

James had always admired Renly, not only for his independent works but also for his performance in Fast and Furious 5, which he highly praised. Among the new generation of actors, James had always been impressed by Renly, not just for his acting but also for his discerning film choices.

However, this time, Renly's decision made James begin to question.

"There's no doubt that Tony Kaye is a special director. His camera always aims at a real issue, dissecting it with a straightforward yet sharp perspective, exposing the dark side and corruption of society to its core. His work leaves audiences with nowhere to escape, with no tolerance.

In this film, Kaye directs his focus at the education system, depicting teachers as a bunch of mercenary, profit-driven, and complaining individuals. This is a bold and resolute attempt, addressing an issue that contemporary society has gradually neglected: What is the ultimate goal of education? Jobs, degrees, ideas, wealth, or even… politics?

However, Kaye's critical and scrutinizing viewpoint is too extreme and overly simplistic.

He raises the problem without delving deeper, offering no thorough discussion, no dialectical thinking, and certainly no solution. Worse still, in the second half of the story, the narrative loses its edge, taking a sharp turn, and all the weight falls onto the male protagonist's personal problems. This shift derails the discussion and leaves little room for further reflection.

So sharp, so intense, so raw, Kaye raises a problem that lacks resolution and proper exploration. To me, it feels like criticism for the sake of criticism, without the humanistic care that true artistry demands.

The sharpness and tenderness Kaye once showcased in American History X are absent here. Instead, detachment offers a vague concept that is not only disappointing but also distasteful."

James articulated his position clearly but sharply. According to the scoring standards of the three major European film festivals, where the full score is four points, James gave the film only one point. On a 100-point scale, that would be 25—an exceptionally low score, bordering on damning.

James' disappointment and disillusionment were evident, but then the conversation shifted, and he took an opposite stance.

"Throughout the film, Kaye attempts something bold: by zooming in with close-up shots and restoring the grainy texture of the film, he creates the feel of a pseudo-documentary, amplifying the actors' performances to extreme levels. The result is a suppression of emotional excess, which in turn attempts to deliver a soul-stirring shock.

The pros and cons of this almost experimental shooting style are clear:

The acting weaknesses of the two newcomers are magnified.

While Sammy Gale and Betty Kaye's performances are rare for newcomers, they are also stripped bare of finesse. Most of their emotional expressions are genuine, natural, simple, and pure, but their lack of nuance and depth becomes glaring, particularly at pivotal emotional moments, where they fail to truly convey the character's internal struggle. Their performances verge on awkwardness, which becomes uncomfortable to watch.

This is arguably the goal that a pseudo-documentary style would seek to achieve. However, it becomes a point of regret for the film's reflective potential.

In contrast, Renly Hall's performance shines. The leader of Generation Y actors once again proves his brilliance. Even amidst a cast of more experienced actors, Hall delivers the best performance. The almost theatrical nature of the camera work grants him ample space to fully express himself, allowing his solid acting skills to shine through in the smallest details—eyes, the corners of his mouth, expressions, movements, gestures, and body language.

In the final scene of the movie, Hall easily reaffirms his status as a leading actor. Having witnessed his astonishing performances in Buried Alive, Crazy in Love, and I Fight Cancer, I can confidently say: this is Hall's best performance to date.

Or perhaps, so far.

Hall's performance lends the entire film a depth and resonance that is remarkable. It explores the connection between the individual and society, the individual and family, and how education shapes them. It's a revelation. If there's one reason to watch detachment, it's Renly Hall."

After publishing his review, a reporter asked James how he could give Renly such high praise while awarding the film only one point.

James responded, "As a whole, the film is undoubtedly a failure, even embarrassing. It misses the core soul of what makes art meaningful. Because of Renly's performance, I'd give it four points—however many points it deserves. But as a complete work, one point is the maximum."

James is not the only critic who disliked detachment. After the premiere, critics were divided, but there was a shared consensus that this was an auteur's film—one that should not be measured by conventional standards.

The term auteur cinema, first coined in France in the 1950s, suggests that film is a unique language used to express thoughts and emotions, similar to how a writer uses a pen or a director uses a camera to craft a screenplay. Over time, the concept evolved into a theory that champions the director's individuality, elevating them while diminishing the importance of commercial filmmaking. It eventually gave rise to the French New Wave and had a global influence.

An auteur film can be understood as one in which the director is free from the interference of producers, creating the film entirely in their own style and vision.

In terms of expression techniques, auteur films often employ long takes, moving cameras, voice-overs, inner monologues, natural sound, and even unconventional shaky shots that break the unity of time and space. These methods combine subjective realism with objective realism.

Such films are often intended more for serious study, discussion, and critique by professionals than for mass entertainment.

Transcendence is a typical auteur film.

Because of this, auteur films tend to be cold and esoteric. Even professionals can find them controversial, leading to backlash and sometimes boycotts—let alone the general audience.

At the premiere, the audience applauded for four minutes, which, in a sense, affirmed Tony Kaye's boldness and his commitment to the pursuit of art. However, this approval was limited to the Berlin Film Festival. At any other festival, even the New York Film Festival, the audience might have walked out angrily.

In addition to James, another senior critic expressed discomfort.

Amy Nicholson from Time shared her thoughts in a review: "I like Tony Kaye, and I love Renly Hall—more accurately, I'm crazy about him—but I hate this movie. I hate it."

Amy has been a staunch supporter of Renly's work in the past. She gave Fast and Furious 5 a high score without hesitation, urging audiences to go see it, and during this year's awards season, she was a vocal advocate for Crazy in Love, believing Renly deserved more than just one nomination.

But in Berlin, Amy gave the film a scathing review.

"The whole film is filled with self-talk and self-justification. There's no chemistry between the characters, especially the three women around the male lead. The plot is unconvincing, and the emotional connection is severed coldly and arrogantly. As a result, all the confessions and dialogues feel like empty soliloquies.

Sad? Painful? Bitter? Lonely?

I didn't believe any of the emotions in the film. I felt nothing throughout the entire movie—only detachment. My soul was completely removed from the atmosphere Kaye tried to create, rejecting the film's perspective with indifference.

For me, this is a film that's unnecessary to watch."

Despite this, Amy still mentions Renly positively.

"As for Renly Hall—over the past two years, I've admired him as one of the leading actors. Don't worry, you're still the best actor of Generation Y in my opinion. But, sorry, in this movie, your performance couldn't keep me engaged. I'll be waiting for your next project!"