Archipelago (2011)

Too much of everything

One of my all time favorites.

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

I can fully understand the majority of film watchers being a bit bored by this, and its fine, were all different in our thoughts and observations, I would never accuse them of sarcastically 'needing' more explosions/gun battles action etc to satisfy their requirements as I think any art is subjective and any opinion is valid. I wasn't bored at all, in fact I was absorbed by this movie, nothing happens, except an examination of family life, on an angst ridden and tension filled family holiday. Immature yet grown up children, with Edward taking the limelight, the overly needy sister playing up most of the time like some spoilt child, and poor slightly neurotic Mum trying her best to keep it all together, in the absence of a Father who couldn't (or didn't want to) get there. The scenery gives a lot of atmosphere, its a tad bleak (wonder why they didn't go in summer?) The Scilly Isles in November was perfect for the slightly gloomy and foreboding atmosphere. The self obsessed artist Chris tries to understand what is going on but keeps himself snug and warm in his own arty avant-garde pretensions. Its not a movie for everyone and if you hate it fair enough, but if you like slower pedestrian films that examine human relationships, if you can let yourself be drawn into their world, then I recommend you try it. I will be re-watching it.

I watched this movie last night. I couldn't make out what the actors were saying most of the time(I'm old)so I'm not too sure what the movie was about. The mother was angry with someone when she was on the phone. There was emotion in that brief scene as well as elsewhere, I think. There was no storyline. It wasn't like War and Peace. However the acting was amazingly good and the movement hither and thither could be taken for real life. If they'd had a decent story--say a few murders in the basement--the movie would have steamrolled through the Oscars. I watched the whole thing and then I woke up. Cheers. Whoops. I need more lines. Okay. I liked the cook. She was blond. Okay, I give in. I think the movie had certain amazing elements. It really did seem like a slice of a real life. That's not necessarily good, unless it's about a piece of real life that's interesting. May I go now? Cheers, Don.

An empty space of a film. Meaningful silences (just silences really) separated by short bursts of incomprehensible dialogue. No beginning, middle or end. Good advert for a quiet holiday in the Scillies. One of the quotes on the IMDb website for the Christopher character says it all with regard to the meaningless dialogue. I did try to follow what was going on but very few explanations for the strained relationships were forthcoming. Humour is mentioned in other reviews. Like another reviewer, I haven't the faintest idea where that was. The movie did work for me in one way. The visual images were strong and I watched the film as I would so-called slow TV.

This is a maddening movie, though a good one. The structure is just about perfect, and the family's dysfunction unspools in a very controlled way. The acting is universally excellent and clear. The movie makes wonderful use of the unique landscape of the Isle of Scilly, and all in all, I felt I was in the hands of first class creators.But…The rhythm is eternally and unchangingly slow. Every scene begins with long, long minutes of barely discernible action. There is, despite the simmering resentments, only a single explosion. This lugubrious technique is both effective and maddening. The movie seems like an experiment in just how far you can go into hazy somnambulance and still create dramatic tension.Don't watch it when you're sleepy.