BLACKBIRD
US/UK, 2019, 97 minutes, Colour.
Susan Sarandon, Kate Winslet, Mia Wasikowska, Sam Neill, Rainn Wilson, Lindsay Duncan, Anson Boon, Bex Taylor- Klaus.
Directed by Roger Michel.
In many countries around the world, and in various states in Australia, legislation has been introduced, and sometimes passed, concerning assisted suicide. This is a very human drama about assisted suicide.
Opinions are divided about the morality, the ethics of assisted suicide. There are ongoing discussions, legal submissions, protests… In its way, Blackbird will contribute to the discussion and should be seen by those on each side of the debate. In many ways, it is easy to discuss moral issues in principle, discussions by reason. On the other hand, the reality concerns people, those dying, those assisting, who have lives which are highly emotional. And that is the value of a story like this, which at various times does present arguments against, the moral issues are both principled and personalised.
Blackbird is an English-language adaptation by its author, Danish Christian Torpe, of his original, directed in Denmark by celebrated film-maker Bille August, 2014, Silent Heart.
The film invites the audience to share a weekend with Lily and Paul, Paul a doctor, Lily suffering from an increasing illness with symptoms which sound like motor-neuron disease. Lily and her husband, along with her daughters and best friend, have planned how the assisted suicide will take place. And they are to have a weekend celebration of life before it.
Susan Sarandon is Lily and gives, and this is compliment, a very strong Susan Sarandon -like performance. After 50 years top lining films, she is still a force to be reckoned with. On the other hand, Sam Neill plays Paul, a rather quiet, supportive performance.
Much of the dramatics are provided by the two daughters. The older, Jennifer, is played by Kate Winslet, wearing glasses and almost unrecognisable at first. She is married, her genial husband Michael (a different kind of role for comedian Rainn Wilson) and her son, Jonathan (Anson Boon), a rather quiet teenager, arriving with her. There is quite a contrast with the younger daughter, Anna (Mia Wasikowska), an emotionally unstable woman who is accompanied by her partner, Chris (Bex Taylor- Klaus). The other member of the party is Lily’s lifelong friend, Liz (Lindsay Duncan). And that is the cast – most of the action taking place within the family house with excursions along the beach.
As audience, we are drawn in by the characters themselves, generally strong personalities, genial and friendly at first, meals, charades, happy spirit of reunion. However, there is soon a clash between Jennifer and Anna, Jennifer a controller, Anna, possibly bipolar, a suicide attempt and time in an institution. An even stronger tension arises when Jennifer questions the friendship between Liz and Paul. And, even Lily herself Is shocked at Anna’s initial recriminations against her.
And a lot of this occurs in the context of the creation of a Christmas celebration, Michael and Jonathan going out to find a Christmas tree, Paul cooking a full Christmas dinner, Lily with very personalised gift for everyone.
There are differing opinions given about the assisted suicide, the daughters wanting more time with their mother, but Lily, very strong in her declarations about her wish to die, not to live in a continually deteriorating physical condition, to leave the world at the time of her choice and reasons.
As said, this is a case study about assisted suicide, a story with a perspective, that those for and those against should experience as a fuller background for their ethical stance.
1. The title? Reference? Bye, bye Blackbird?
2. The Connecticut setting? Filmed in West Sussex?
3. The screenwriter, adapting his Danish screenplay? The transition to an American context?
4. Character and dialogue? Action over the weekend? The interiors of the house? The excursions to the beach? The musical score?
5. The situation, B, her health, the decision to end her life, to gather the family together, to celebrate, the assisted suicide, the mercy killing?
6. Audience response to assisted suicide, in favour, against? The film as a case study, for both sides of opinion? To understand the issues? Moral, ethical? To experience the emotional repercussions?
7. Lily and her strong character, age, the Susan Sarandon performance? The nature of her illness, arm paralysis, prospects, motor-neuron symptoms? Her cheerful spirit? The careful planning of the weekend? A love for her husband, over many years? Liz as her best friend? Her relationship with her daughters, Jennifer and her control, older? Anna, mental issues, emotional instability?
8. Paul, quiet, longtime husband, Dr, in the house, participation in the plan? Welcoming all the visitors? His relationship with his daughters? With Liz – the kiss and the revelation that Lily had encouraged the relationship? Cooking, hosting, tears and sadness? Administering the drugs? Finally turning out the lights, going for the walk, his explanation that he was away, for the police?
9. Liz, longtime friend, memories of study days, references to Woodstock, drugs? Her relationship with Paul, present on all the holidays, urge to the relationship by Lesley?
10. Jennifer, Kate Winslet wearing glasses and unrecognisable, age, a controller, comments to her husband, corrections for her son? Intervening and doing the jobs? A love for Michael? Her attitudes towards Jonathan? Her relationship with her mother, the walk on the beach and the place of conception? Her antagonism towards Anna? The challenges, the discussions, going back over the past, their childhood? The issue of the affair with Liz? Drawing attention to it? Controlling the situation? Her mother’s response an explanation? The two daughters and that not wanting their mother to kill herself? Wanting time with her? Their mother’s strong talk, what she wanted, they’re acquiescing, on the bed when she died?
11. Michael, relationship with Jennifer, genial, with his son, participating in the weekend? Taken aback at times? Jennifer and her finding the photos, talking about the affair, the sexual encounter and his reaction? Finding the Christmas tree with his son?
12. Jonathan, age, relationship with his parents, quiet, talking with his grandmother, telling her he want to be an actor, telling everyone at the table, is wrapped performance, is cheering up, wanting to know the truth about the situation?
13. The celebrations, the meals, the wine, the talk, the shrouds, the celebration of Christmas, the tree, decorations, Lily talking with Johnson and his helping her, her special gifts to everyone at the table?
14. The dramatics, the shifts in mood, Billy and her shock about Ana’s reaction, the reconciliation? Liz and the affair and Lily’s declaration? The daughters and their upset?
15. The audience involved with characters, a case study, the presentation of the varied points of view?
