Lore: a movie review
Over a river and through the woods, to grandmother’s house they go, but “Lore” carries no such joyful tune.
A vivid tale of life, loss, and an abrupt transition from innocence to maturity, this movie is a shocking portrayal of a lesser seen perspective from the end of the second world war.
Based on “The Dark Room,” a novel by Rachel Seiffert, “Lore” touches the soul and twists emotions. The story follows a young German girl and her siblings’ struggle to gain sanctuary with their grandmother after the allies win the war. Its limited release here in the US may challenge our society’s naiveté about adolescent sexuality, maturity and the hardships faced by children born into a Nazi household around the end of the Hitler’s reign.
As their mission becomes clear, Lore tells her crying, infant brother Peter, “Before the victory there is always pain”. To make it across Deutschland, she gathers all of the money and valuables she can — to trade for food along the way. The five kids trudge off, ill-equipped, and unaware of their fate, to leave their lives behind.
The hungry children travel across Germany, and experience the brutality of their reality, while meeting an array of unseemly characters along the way.
Co-written and directed by Cate Shortland, the film pace keeps you walking on eggshells, while each cinematic element blends seamlessly to create surreal images that range from spectacular scenery to horrific atrocities.
The movie’s subtle messages leave the audience questioning the harsh realities of war and the world.
Employees of Edwards Cinema said that “Lore” will at least run until Thursday, Feb. 14, though its continued showing depends on the number of tickets it sells by then. According to Yahoo Movies, the closest theater to Saddleback showing the film is Edwards Westpark. http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/lore/showtimes/mission-viejo-92691.html
I’d give it an 9 out of 10, based on the complexity of subject matter and its overall artistry.