WHERE’D YOU GO, BERNADETTE?

US, 2019, one 109 minutes, Colour.

Cate Blanchett, Billy Crudup, Emma Nelson, Kristin Wiig, Zoe Chao, Lee Harrington, David Paymer, Megan Mullaly, Laurence Fishburne, Steve Zahn, Patrick Jordan, Kate Burton, Judy Greer, James Urbaniak.

Directed by Richard Linklater.

The quick answer is Antarctica! However, Bernadette has withdrawn from real life, into herself, agoraphobic, into her home.

The film is an adaptation of a novel by Maria Sample, quite complex plot. It is been co-written and directed by Richard Linklater, a significant contributor to different American films over 30 or more years, from Slacker to the Before… Trilogy, two experimental Boyhood.

The film was also a star vehicle for Cate Blanchett as the bewildered Bernadette, once a talented architect, suffering from agoraphobia, close to her daughter, Bee, Emma Nelson. Billy Crudup is her bewildered husband, Kristin Wiig is a neighbour, Audrey, with whom Bernadette is continually clashing but who, surprisingly, reconciles and helps Bernadette on her mission to Antarctica.

There is a strong supporting cast, representing authorities who are trying to diagnose and prescribe for Bernadette.

When it is decided that Bernadette should go to an institution while Bee and her father travel to Antarctica, Bernadette escapes, gets the help of her neighbour, Audrey, who arranges the flight to Antarctica. Needless to say there are surprises all round, Bernadette and her experience of Antarctica, friendship with some of the crew, the shock of husband and daughter finding Bernadette there.

As regards the title and where Bernadette went, there is some final irony for the agoraphobic Bernadette as she finds she can contribute her architectural skills to designing some of the plant in Antarctica.

An unexpected offbeat entertainment, and somewhat unexpected from Richard Linklater.

1. The title, arresting, the question, the focus on Bernadette?
2. The Seattle setting, America’s north-west? The city, the views, the rain? Homes? Universities and research? The emphasis on architecture, the buildings, designs? Art? The musical score?
3. The present, Bernadette and Elgie, 20 years of marriage, taking each other for granted? Edge? The relationship with Bee? Her age? Devotion to her mother, attitude towards her father? The home situation, the layout of the home and its design? Elgie and his work, inventions, patents? Travel, lecturing? The contrast with Bernadette, at home, memories of her past, architectural skill, competition, hopes and ambitions? Ambitions thwarted? Marriage, and life, absolute devotion to her daughter?
4. The visualising of the past, Bernadette and Elgie? His abilities and success? Her promise and ambitions? The variety of buildings, their being brought, pulldown? The effect?
5. The video about her, Bee watching it, the range of testimonies from friends and experts (and the cameos by guest stars)? Bernadette watching it?
6. Bernadette, introversion, avoiding people, staying in the house? Yet going to restaurants, the meals with Elgie? The meal with Paul Jellinek, their past, his supporting her, her pouring out her feelings about herself?
7. Bernadette, acerbic with other people, critical? Cantankerous with Audrey? At school, running over Audrey’s foot? Audrey and her attitude towards the neighbourhood, her son and his drugs? The issue of the blackberries, the garden, the removal, the strategy? Bernadette and her malicious intentions? Audrey and the party, all the guests, the celebration, her speech, the subsiding of the hillside, the flooding into her house?
8. Bee, her age, precocious, studies? At school? Friends? The possibility of the trip to Antarctica? Her parents discussing it? The agreement to go? Yet Bernadette not wanting to go?
9. Bernadette more agoraphobic? Prescription drugs, going to the pharmacy, the discussion and argument? Elgie looking at her cupboard, the taking of the drugs?
10. Bernadette in the house, the recording of her emails to Manjula, India, the range of purchases?
11. Dr Kurtz, her visit to Elgie, explanation of the situation? The FBI agent? The scam, the financial difficulties? The meeting with Bernadette, the frank presentation of the truth? Bernadette’s upset, escaping out the window, taking refuge with Audrey, reconciling with her, Audrey taking her to the airport?
12. Bernadette going to Antarctica, the experience, the canoe, the discussions with the science personnel? Joining them?
13. Elgie and Bee, Elgie selling his patent, flying to Antarctica, the ship, trying to find Bernadette, officialdom thwarting them? Eventually tracking her down, finding her, listening in to her?
14. Bernadette, the discussion with the authorities, wanting to go to the South Pole, the prospect of designing the base, the arguments, the authorities googling her, giving her the opportunity? Her finding Elgie and be, explaining everything to them, their hearing it, the reconciliation?
15. Bernadette, the chaos of her life, her artistic temperament, its being crushed, not finding outlets, creativity as a solution to her fears and mental condition?
16. On reflection, the meaning of the title and its questions, what happened to Bernadette? Her future?