silsmaria

Melody 2022-04-19 09:02:43

The story takes place in a picturesque Swiss town. The superstar Maria, who is over forty years old, once again participated in her famous work "The Snake of Maloya" after decades, but this time, she no longer plays the role of the drama. The very charming young female subordinate "Sigrid", but returned as a middle-aged woman who was obsessed with female subordinates and was abandoned by her - "Helena". The characters in the play are coincidentally compared to Maria's real life outside the play. The high integration of life and the script makes Maria fall into a mental crisis and gradually lose herself.

The film begins on a train that shuttles between the Alps. In the shaky footage, Maria's assistant Valentina appears. Due to the poor signal in the car, the interruption of communication from time to time makes her frequent foul language. In Valentina's sporadic words, Maria's current situation can be peeped: she was caught up in trivial divorce affairs, she was invited by her "teacher" to go to Switzerland to accept the award, and she learned that her teacher passed away unexpectedly, and she was forced to be with her first love. Accepting the award on the same stage... Also in the transmission and feedback of this series of information, the relationship between Valentina and Maria that transcended the transactional relationship began to emerge.

Maria took Valentina to Sils Maria, the teacher's seclusion place before her death. The two often hiked in the mountains. The quiet mountains made everything here seem pleasant. However, as in the cloudscape spectacle "Snake of Maloya", behind the majestic scenery often heralds bad weather. The tranquility and tranquility of Sils Maria could not conceal Maria's uncertain inner demons.

As the rehearsal progressed, the indeterminate relationship between Maria and Valentina seemed to be a true mirror image of the emotional entanglement between "Sigrid" and "Helena" in the play. Maria, who stayed in the young "Sigrid" world, had a deep resistance to the middle-aged "Helena", and subconsciously resisted the new actor Joanna, the new version of "Sigrid". ". She couldn't stand this popular idol who reflected her past, and she couldn't stand Valentina's admiration for Joanna. Facing the "new man" who was about to replace her, she defended her position with prejudiced sarcasm, but couldn't hide the anxiety and escapism she harbored about the passage of time. The persistent behavior of constantly issuing orders also consumed Valentina's patience step by step.

When Maria sat alone on the mountain, facing the clouds and mists that spread across the sky, and shouted out to Valentina, the reappearing "Maloa Cloud Phenomenon" implied Valentina's illusion, Just like "Sigrid" in the play decided to leave "Helena", it disappeared completely!

At the end of the film, when the stage chase light fades away from Maria's head. The slightly raised corners of her mouth showed that she had accepted the fate imprinted on her by time. Whether it is the former "Sigrid" or the current "Helena", it is all given by the years. And she just needs to accept it calmly with the peace she should have when sitting and watching the clouds rise.

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Extended Reading

Clouds of Sils Maria quotes

  • Maria Enders: Jo-Ann?

    Jo-Ann Ellis: What's up?

    Maria Enders: I wanted to ask you. You know the scene at the beginning of Act 3 when you tell me you want to leave and I get on my knees and I beg you to stay? You're on the phone ordering pepperoncini pizza for your coworkers in accounting. You leave without looking at me. As if I didn't exist. If you could pause for a second. Helena's distress would last longer when she's left alone in her office. Well, the way you're playing it, the audience follows you out but instantly forgets about her. So...

    Jo-Ann Ellis: So? So what?

    Maria Enders: When, when I played Sigrid I held it longer. I thought it was more powerful. Erotically. I mean, it really played well.

    Jo-Ann Ellis: No one gives a fuck about Helena at that point, do they? I'm sorry, it's pretty clear to me that this woman is all washed up. I mean, your character, Maria, not you. And when Sigrid leaves Helena's office, Helena's a wreck, and we get it. You know, it's time to move on. I think they want what comes next.

    Maria Enders: If you just held it a few seconds longer.

    Jo-Ann Ellis: It doesn't really feel right for me, Maria.

    Maria Enders: You're right. Yeah. I - I - I think I'm - I'm lost in my memories. You think you've forgotten your old habits, but their all - they all come back. Have to break them.

    Jo-Ann Ellis: I guess you do!

  • Piers Roaldson: [Piers proposes new movie mutant role for Maria] I'm trying to consider genetics from a more human point of view.

    Maria Enders: When I was reading it, I imagined someone much younger. Maybe me younger, actually, but you were seeing me in movies that were made years ago. I - I've changed.

    Piers Roaldson: She has no age. Or else, she's every age at once. Like all of us.

    Maria Enders: Can I be frank? Maybe it's because I'm working with her, but as I was reading it, I - I kept thinking about Jo-Ann.

    Piers Roaldson: Yeah, well personally, I never think about Jo-Ann Ellis.

    Maria Enders: You're wrong. She's smart. And talented. She's modern, just like your character.

    Piers Roaldson: My character isn't modern. Not in that way, anyway. She's, outside of time.

    Maria Enders: Outside of time. I don't understand. It's too abstract for me. It's all right.

    Piers Roaldson: I - I don't like this era.

    Maria Enders: You're wrong. It's yours!

    Piers Roaldson: Amen! I didn't choose it.

    Maria Enders: [laughs]

    Piers Roaldson: And if my era is Jo-Ann Ellis and viral Internet scandals I think I'm entitled to feel unrelated, aren't I. I mean, it's nothing against her, I guess I just assumed you'd understand.