Year: 2019
Director: Terrence Malick
Country: US
Language: English
My spouse and I watched A Hidden Life at Toronto International Film Festival, specifically at the Scotiabank theatre in downtown Toronto. This was the only film we had been in a long line in for as the other films we went to were more obscure; the line stretched for two blocks. The Scotiabank had an escalator to the second floor that seemed endless. I chose to take the elevator. This theatre surprisingly sold beer and wine during the movie. I had not seen that before.
The Austrian Blessed Franz Jägerstätter (August Diehl) , a conscientious objector, refuses to fight for the Nazis in World War II.
Touted as a "return to form", fans of Terrence Malick will be pleased that A Hidden Life has a more straightfoward linear narrative than Song to Song (2017) and Knight of Cups (2015). Malick's soundtrak echoes his usual selection of classical music, while his cinematography has an eye towards nature. Long shots of Austrian mountains will leave one in awe, while imagery of wheat will overcome the screen in due time.
Malick's film is full of ideas of faith and spirituality, mainly suggesting that they come from within rather than from a church. Christian philosophy often contradicts Christian action. A Hidden Life is fascinating in its deep dive into philosophy that seems more relevant than ever before. Though its a film that subjects its protagonist to the same question again and again, its repetitiveness is what keeps its audience engaged. Could we withstand the same questioining? Would we repent if we slowly lost everything?
Malick's film is remarkable, mainly because of its gorgeous breathtaking cinematography. The spirituality, although far more overt than Roma (2018) doesn't become too preachy & does engage its audience, encouraging to self-reflect and search one's innermost beliefs.
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