Nymphomaniac: Vol I has substance and isn’t just a cheap thrills ride
Lars Von Trier’s fascinating erotic odyssey should only be watched by a viewer who has a curious and open mind.
Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg), a self-diagnosed nymphomaniac, is discovered badly beaten in an alley by an older bachelor, Seligman (Stellan Skarsgård), who takes her into his home. As he tends to her wounds, she recounts the erotic story of her adolescence and young-adulthood.
QUESTIONS YOUR PERCEIVED OPINIONS
Like most Lars von Trier movies, there is always a controversial subject brewing underneath his canvases. The story of Joe is fascinating and sad at the same time. Nymphomaniac: Vol I is a sex-related drama that not only sticks with you throughout— but questions you and your perceived opinions on this often regarded seedy culture. You’re fully aware that you are in for revelations at almost every turn, but it’s strength lays in having you hooked, with eyes wide open.
Before it’s release, Nymphomaniac: Vol I was regarded as maybe being a glamorized pornographic movie, but those claims are sorely mistaken. Lars von Trier has stitched together a narrative that delves into a woman’s psyche, on her discovery of sexual gratification. This is, in fact, a film about the negative aspects of sexual exploration. It’s eight book-like chapter structure helps us navigate through this sexual adventure and make sense of it all, with a sured sense of understanding of the topic. The only problem with this formula is the shock value does ware off toward the culmination of the confession.
VON TRIER ACTIVELY PROVOKES EMOTIONS
Nymphomaniac: Vol I is a beautiful yet painful movie; painful in the sense that it delivers images that will stay in your conscience for some time. Although some scenes display imagery that will surprise and possibly cause offense, they aren’t forced or simply there to leave us gasping. They’re necessary within the context of the narrative, which doesn’t shy away from portraying emotions that are sensitive and raw; von Trier is actively trying to provoke emotions from his audience.
Lars von Trier has never been a director shy of causing controversy and Nymphomaniac: Vol I is just as absurd as any of his previous releases. It features a whole host of sexual encounters that provide an insight into the emotionless but lustful sexual life of Joe . As pretentious and provocative as von Trier can be with his movies, Nymphomaniac: Vol. I is an apprehension of this underbelly of a world— it has substance and isnʼt just a cheap thrills ride of sex and nudity.
