A young man harasses a homeless woman, another man protests,
both are arrested, and the woman has to leave the country DRAMA
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Code Unknown (2000)Written and Directed by Michael Haneke
Starring Juliette Binoche, Thierry Neuvic, Alexandre Hamidi, Josef Bierbichler |
Michael Haneke is a director who I plan on watching every second of their filmography. Amour blew me away a few years ago and now, Code Unknown has done the same thing. It’s composed of unedited long takes that cut abruptly and then move onto the next perspective. I love that sort of experimentation and then on top of that, Code Unknown has really strong performances and jaw dropping cinematography.
All of the storylines intersect in some way but the opening forces you to pay attention and figure out if you’re into the style of filmmaking. Anne is an actress from Paris and we see her walking with her boyfriend's brother Jean. After they separate, Jean throws a piece of garbage at a homeless woman named Maria. Another man named Amadou interjects and refuses to leave Jean alone until he apologizes to Maria. That scene sets the stage for a bunch of scenes that weave in and out, forming a really poignant story. Haneke was definitely calling French society out with Code Unknown. The way people treat one another without knowing a damn thing is really scary. The cinematography done by Jurgen Jurges is really key with this film as the tempo is steady but never boring. Juliette Binoche is doing stuff that I can’t get enough of as Anne, the actress playing an actress. Code Unknown isn’t for everyone, but it is for fans of experimental shit. I will be rewatching and analyzing the ins and outs of this film for years to come. |