PIERCING
US, 2018, 81 minutes, Colour.
Christopher Abbott, Mia Wasikowski, Laia Costa.
Directed by Nicolas Pesce.
Piercing is an 80 minute two-hander generally confined to rooms, there are some scenes in a car and at a hospital. It is based on a Japanese novel, adapted to the United States. The author of the novel, Ryu Murakami, has written a number of novels and directed some film versions, including Audition.
This is not exactly an enjoyable drama. Rather, it is a specialist film for arthouse/festival audiences.
In fact, with its confinement, it might have had more effect had it been a theatre piece in a small theatrical space. On the big screen, it seems somewhat extended, melodramatic in its realism, and some prurient fantasies.
The central character, Reed, played by Christopher Abbott with some intensity, is seen initially with a weapon and holding his baby. However, he loves his wife and his child, contacting her throughout the drama. However, there is something strange about him, his look and his demeanour.
He books into a hotel for a rendezvous with an escort, and there is a quite elaborate scene where he mimes in great detail how we will deal with the woman, meeting, undressing, tying her up, violence. It emerges later in the phone call that his wife has encouraged him in this enterprise.
The film then makes a transition to the prostitute, Jackie, Mia Wasikowska, waking up, demands made on her for money, her going to the appointment, the awkwardness of meeting with Reed, his nervous reaction, her responding negatively, going to have a shower, his concern, then discovering that she was stabbing herself in her leg. His careful plan has gone completely awry.
Which makes the audience wonder where this drama will go. There is a hospital interlude, going back to Jackie’s flat, a drama where she turns the table on Reed, he reacts, she gets free – and questions about sexual behaviour, fantasies, sado-masochism, blood, control and consent…
The film stops, leaving the ending open for the audience to speculate about what will happen in the future of each of the characters.
At beginning and end, there are extensive crane shots of the facades of apartment blocks, stylised, the filming of miniatures.
1. Erotic fantasies and realism?
2. A two hander, adapted from a Japanese novel, the American setting? The brief running time? Aspects of reality? Aspects of fantasy? The managers for the facades of the buildings at beginning and end? A rear window approach?
3. The opening, the apartment, Reed and the baby, threatening, the baby crying, his wife, her concern? Asking him questions? His reassurance? Getting up, getting dressed? His work at home, going out? His phoning his wife, the later revelation that she knew what he was up to and encouraging him, even to killing the prostitute?
4. Reed, the hotel, booking in, well-dressed? The sequence of his rehearsing the attack on the prostitute, miming, the attention to detail? Audiences suspecting that it would not work out this way?
5. The crossing to Jackie, the phone call, waking up, getting dressed, the demands for money, driving, the corridor, meeting Reed? Her appearance, clothes? Her manner as a prostitute and the job? The interactions with Reed? Suspicions?
6. Reed, the awkwardness, listening to Jackie, the smile, her reaction, in the shower, his concern, his plan failing, knocking on the door, going in, her stabbing her leg, his concern, the bandage, blood and his own wound? In the corridor, the man searching for his wife? Jackie emerging, her behaviour?
7. Her moods, driving to the hospital, getting Reed’s reassurance, in the hospital, with the doctor, his phone calls in the meantime? Her emerging, her story about riding the bike?
8. The return to her home, lavish and well-kept, Reed’s reaction? The possibility for the plan going ahead? Jackie and the food, the drugs, Reed’s reaction, his collapse? Jackie and her violence, bashing his face? The reversal of roles, his tying her up? His collapse, her getting free?
9. The interactions between the two, who was in control, consent, hopes? The future?
10. The film stopping, the facades, giving the audience time to reflect on what they have seen?
