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| DIRECTED BY |
| Atom Egoyan |
| STARRING |
| Mia Kirshner |
| Elias Koteas |
| Bruce Greenwood |
| Don McKellar |
| Arsin�e Khanjian |
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Egoyan�s films seem to always contain at least one impressively well-envisioned character whom most of the film�s themes and other characters revolve around. In this case, that character is Francis (Greenwood,) who has experienced profound emotional trauma in recent years, yet Egoyan is intelligent enough to not make that obvious from the beginning. Francis is even ostensibly happy at times, particularly evident in his car-ride conversations with Tracey. It isn�t until later on that we realize (along with the other characters) � in a few subtle exchanges of dialogue � that all of this is actually apart of Francis�s deceptive state of denial.
Egoyan doesn�t merely show us that characters have obsessions with one another. He � through a thoughtful narrative � gradually reveals exactly why these characters are so integral to one another. We see that people who are seemingly each other�s enemies may actually have the ability to evoke great solace within one another. Those frustrated by the symbolic interweaving that Egoyan employs may call him pretentious but they�re really missing the point � this is a very effective way to develop another theme � that of how completely distinctive lives may actually be indispensable pinnacles of one another�s existence.
The narrative structure does a good job of conveying the nature of memory � it certainly doesn�t seem designed simply for the sake of complexity. Flashbacks are executed in a simple but non-platitudinal way � there are no needlessly stylish fade ins and outs, kinetic smash cuts, or differentiating camera filters used. The film�s visual merits actually owe more to its elaborate set designing � particularly with the Exotica night club�s stylized mirrors and the like � than to camera work. As for the soundtrack, Mychael Danna�s score is somberly beautiful and completely appropriate for the film.
There are complaints that I could make about the film � that Thomas (a wonderfully awkward Don McKellar) is simply a character who is used to drive the plot along because he has no direct involvement with the film�s main theme of how each character is affected by a tragedy, and that his subplot (the stolen imported eggs) goes unresolved. I could say that some of the dialogue is pretty ridiculous (such as when Francis questions Thomas about the gun) and that some characters seem slightly too conveniently articulate. I could also say that Egoyan goes for one-too-many interconnections in the long run and claim that Francis�s �substitutional obsession� with Christina made enough sense without that final sequence. But then I�d be overlooking the convincing emotional complexity that Egoyan so consistently manages to embed within his characters.
