Filed under The Discovery Programme at TIFF, which highlights up and coming directors, Govinda Van Maele’s full-length feature “Gutland” is a striking debut, one that slowly burns through the magnificent landscapes of rural Luxembourg with flourishes of neorealism. Simultaneously, Maele manages to unravel a dark noir while meshing in hints of German expressionism and nods to Lars Von Trier-esque surrealism.
For almost the entirety of “Gutland,” it is quite difficult to gauge the plot trajectory of Maele’s debut. For a film deemed a surrealist piece, it tends to mysteriously meander, but where to is the big looming question. With that being said, an inexplicably rugged fugitive, Jens (Frederick Lau), laboring around a large duffel bag, cryptically enters the charming little village of Schandelsmillen in search for seasonal work. Unfortunately for Jens, the small town is weary to welcome the outsider.
Puzzling enough, sleeping with the mayor’s daughter Lucy (Vicky Krieps) somehow alters the community’s attitude towards him and is given a farmhand job by the mayor — a seemingly perfect cover for the fleeing criminal. Allured by sex and a burgeoning relationship with Lucy, Jens warms to the idea of family and a small flat to live off of. But as Jens becomes further indebted to the increasingly friendly community, a festering wickedness lurks beneath the family who took him in.
As questions further arise about a possible sexual cult and the mysterious disappearance of a man several years earlier, it is evident that there may be something grimmer behind Jens’ sudden arrival. Sure enough, the community is concealing dark secrets, revealed simultaneously in the final act, which is a rewarding payoff considering the film’s grueling pace. Having said that, “Gutland” is an exponentially dark tale, a malevolent story twisted into a rural nightmare with the same intricacy and mind-mending sensibilities of a vintage Polanski thriller.
With the film’s progressively dark and haunting ambiance front and center, it’s easy to look past how well Van Maele mixes professional actors with amateur ones. Lau’s lead performance as Jens pierces through the viewers’ comfortability with chilling stoicism — he wears the look of a man who has experienced every hardship imaginable in his eyes, yet carries himself with strength and cautious wariness. Aside from Lau, the supporting roles, especially that of Lucy, do just enough to give prominence to the ominous presence of Jens.
Alongside a fluid ensemble of performances, Van Maele cleverly deceives the viewers’ presuppositions of the film’s tone. It is never a jarring, dichotomic semblance of mood, but one that steadily evolves from melancholy to that of pensive misfortune and lunacy. From there, a brilliant score swells and swimmers as the plot progresses; thus, enhancing this anxiety-filled experience of “Gutland.”
Overall “Gutland” is a successful debut full-length from Van Maele. Needless to say, the film is nothing special in hindsight. Yes, the final act is quite the twist; however, Gutland offers a standard psychological noir that deservingly draws praise for audacity but makes almost no sense the whole way. If you want to watch anything like “Gutland,” you are better off checking out anything from Von Trier or early Polanski. Besides the rudimentary style and atmosphere, Gutland’s surrealist-driven rabbit hole manages to only be slightly engaging and will undoubtedly lose the interest of many attention spans. In order to recover the interest of audiences, the director resorts to unnervingly violent sex-scenes and shock-value tactics to keep viewers stimulated. Aside from the film’s few but glaring pitfalls, if you have interest for slow burn mysteries and are easily spurred by un-comfortability, “Gutland” is the quiet indie gem for you. With all things considered, “Gutland” is an auspicious debut for the young Van Maele. [B]
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