BT1886

Puzzle of a Downfall Child

“Was I — was I any good?” A sympathetic character study of a once famous model and her descent into madness and neurosis told through the disparate accounts she narrates for us — as one may expect, Lou Andreas Sand is as unreliable a narrator as they get. Portrayed wonderfully by the beautiful Faye Dunaway, Puzzle of a Downfall Childgets lost in its own excessive style which makes it very difficult for me to be invested in the story on anything more than a superficial level. From a technical standpoint Puzzle of a Downfall Child is shot wonderfully by Adam Holender, who gives an incredibly naturalistic look to the more surreal elements of the film — there are some incredibly striking images in this film (one of my favorites being of Lou on the beach as she gets her photos taken and juxtaposing that with the act of being shot). Unfortunately, my viewing was marred by the films aggravatingly confusing style which made it difficult for me to really follow along. It’s sad, as that very final moment of the film actually got an emotional reaction out of me. I’d need to sit down and try watching the film once more to see if a second viewing will push my rating up, but I don’t see myself revisiting this any time soon. Watched for The Collab (https://boxd.it/bciZ6)