From time to time I figure I will point you in the direction of some great things you might not know about. Great things like this little gem of a movie... What could be better than a movie with a very moving 9 minute long forcible rape scene? All kidding aside, rape is a horrible crime, and this movie does effectively convey exactly how horrible it is.
Irreversible (2002) – This is one of those movies, like Requiem for a Dream, that is really really good, without being entertaining. You watch it, you get sucked into it, but you never enjoy it. Irreversible tells the story of one tragic night, in reverse chronological order, similar to Memento. The movie is heartbreaking, and shocking; revolting and beautiful, all at once.The beginning of this film has some very disorienting camera work, as well as barely audible tones under the soundtrack designed to discombobulate you, so break out the Dramamine before you watch it, or you might feel a bit car sick. This movie has a gay S&M club, a broken arm, a very realistic head bashing scene, and a forcible rape and beating, all in the first half. But the violence isn't what drives this film. Instead it's the characters that really make this movie work. Much of the dialog is improvised, which would easily ruin a movie like this, but since Vincent Cassel and Monica Bellucci are a real life couple, it fits perfectly. By the end of this movie, which is the beginning of the story, you feel a profound sense of loss. You see the characters at their most carefree, utterly in love, and you know that everything will be taken away from them. See it on a first date, and ask her if she's turned on, after all, it's in French...
