Movie review: Rough 'Silk'

Romantic tear-jerker washes away in a tidal wave of melancholy.

By Jeff Strickler, Star Tribune

Last update: September 13, 2007 - 4:41 PM

If there were an award for the gloomiest movie of the year, "Silk" would win hands down. The judges wouldn't even have to wait for the year to end. In fact, it would have to be picked as the vote-leader for the gloomiest movie of the decade.

It's a romantic drama set in the 19th century, a time, apparently, when no one smiled. The narrative jumps back and forth between a small, depressed village in France and an even smaller, even more depressed village in Japan, in the process demonstrating that being a sourpuss knows no border.

But the most dismal part of all is that it's the work of François Girard, the Canadian-born, France-based filmmaker whose last movie was the marvelous "The Red Violin." That was nine years ago, however, and by the looks of this film, we have to wonder if he spent the intervening time pouting.

Granted, it isn't 100 percent dark. At one point, Keira Knightley actually laughs -- well, giggles, anyway -- but it's so out of step with everything else that it's downright jarring.

The film also is extremely handsomely shot with some wonderful scenery. In keeping with the overall tone, a lot of that scenery is covered with cold, barren snow. But by that point, we're willing to take what we can get.

The protagonist is Harve (the names are French but the dialogue is in English). As played by Michael Pitt (TV's "Dawson Creek"), he's a quiet man who gives the impression of being perpetually lost in his thoughts. He's married to Helene (Knightley), who shows flashes of bubbliness early in their marriage but eventually yields to his pedestrian demeanor.

Their town is supported by a silk factory run by Baldabiou (veteran Alfred Molina). His silkworms are infected with a disease that's killing them, so he sends Harve to Japan to get new ones. While he's there, Harve falls in love with the concubine of a local warlord. Fortunately for Harve, he has enough sense to leave their relationship unrequited.

But he can't get her out of his mind, and when he gets home, Helene picks up on what has happened. They both try to pretend that nothing has changed, but, of course, everything has changed. As if their relationship weren't dour enough already. ...

Girard lets his stories play out at a leisurely pace. There's nothing wrong with that so long as there's a character or two with some spark, but this movie can't find any. Baldabiou comes close, but his behavior is so nonsensical -- he's obsessed with playing billiards one-handed -- that he ends up being dismissed as a kook.

Girard pulls out all the stops in aiming at a tear-jerker ending, but the flood of gloom that precedes it has left little room for more dour emotions. On the contrary, we're glad that it's over.

Jeff Strickler • 612-673-7392

Jeff Strickler • jstrickler@startribune.com