The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Le Scaphandre Et Le Papillon)

Rated PG13

Directed by Julian Schnabel

Starring Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Anne Consigny, Emma Du Caunes, Max von Sydow

Heidi’s Illustrious Rating: 3

Word of warning to you softies out there: very brief nudity.

Note: This movie is in French with English subtitles.

This is the true story of one man’s fight to live with “locked-in syndrome.” Elle Magazine editor, Jean-Dominique Bauby (AKA Jean-Do), was a passionate, enthusiastic and creative man who at 42, had a stroke that left his brain intact, but his body frozen and unresponsive; he cannot move, or even speak and yet his mind is lucid. He can move only his left eye.

The film has received Academy Award nominations for Cinematography, Directing, Film Editing and Writing (adapted screenplay).

The story begins with the audience waking up to a world of blurry faces and odd perspectives. It is as if we are trapped in Jean-Do’s body and can only see what he sees. This style of filming persists for the first few minutes of the movie and continues to be one of the many perspectives shot throughout the duration of the film. It is disconcerting and disorienting for the audience, but is effective in transporting us into Jean-Do’s world; we are trapped, as he is, with no ability to change perspective. Quite brilliantly, the Director has created a sense of helplessness on the part of the viewer and this leads to a better understanding of Jean-Do’s terrifying predicament as the story progresses.

Jean-Do’s one escape is his imagination and memories. He escapes continually, taking the audience with him as he fantasizes about seducing his assistant and skiing the Alps or remembers visiting his father or playing with his three children. And yet, his imagination and memories cannot save him from reality and each imagined scene is abruptly cut short as Jean-Do and the audience awaken to the harsh reality that is his life.

Jean-Do is well known in France and a team of highly trained specialists are brought in to help him. This small group becomes Jean-Do’s link to the world and though it takes awhile, he starts to want to live, despite his condition. Before the stroke he had a contract to write a book and with the help of a beautiful literary assistant decides to fulfill this contract. He dictates the book using an agonizingly slow process involving the assistant reciting the alphabet over and over and Jean-Do blinking when the correct letter is said. Through this process he writes his memoir, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, on which the film is based.

The cinematography is interesting; it is beautiful and yet haunting (a cliche movie-review word I try not to use in my reviews, but truly fits this film). The editing process must have been a nightmare; many scenes are shot at odd angles and with peculiar points of view. At times it feels like an artistic independent film and other times it feels as though a child is playing with a video camera or a film student is fooling around with the editing machine. Overall, the style suits the film and generates the appropriate response in the audience.

Though this story is about strength and courage, it is depressing. It is well acted, but falls short of being one of my favorite films of the year. It is an intimate look at a tragic medical condition I wouldn’t hope on my greatest enemy and in its vivid portrayal of this condition it is a successful film. However, it will not win the “uplifting film of the year” award – then again, not many French films ever would.

As a writer, the thought of writing an entire book by blinking out the letters is unbelievably intriguing and makes this movie worth a matinee price. For those who truly enjoy unusual cinematography, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly will most likely rate higher.