Death in Love is not a film for the faint of heart. From (graphic) sex to (graphic) violence to murder to attempted rape, it may offend you and will definitely launch an assault on your senses. The opening minutes alone, rife with blood and no-holds-barred sex, will undoubtedly make you cringe.
Mother, played by Jacqueline Bisset, is kind of a, for lack of a better phrase, crazy bitch. However, like most crazy bitches, she knows how to get what she wants, which is how she manages to not only escape the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp, but also make the camp bearable — nay, enjoyable. How does she do it? She seduces the camp’s doctor, telling him he’s “the most beautiful man she’s ever seen.”
The experience, interwoven via flashback throughout the rest of the story, seems to have a hideous effect on the sort of person Mother is (though it’s entirely possible that she would have ended up that way anyway). Selfish and at times cruel, she treats everyone around her as if they must cater to her every whim. She throws hissy fits and sleeps with men who are not her husband (this ends up making danger for all).
Her husband seems able to take it, at least. Worse off is her Youngest Son (Lukas Haas), an accomplished (sort of) pianist handicapped by what goes beyond simple social awkwardness (he at one point screams over and over at a friend of his brother’s to “Get the f--k out,” moments before smashing his hand in his piano). There are moments that hint at a possible Oedipal relationship with his mother; they are wholly reliant on each other, though neither wants to admit it. Youngest Son has never been with a woman, and often treats his mother as though she’s his housewife.
Oldest Brother (Scott Lucas), deals with the crazy by f--king young ladies roughly half his age, and smacking around a woman he works with who refuses to have sex with him (she consents to the beating). He’s in a rut, downtrodden because he’s recently 40, so, perhaps in a maneuver to not let his little bro age beyond his years, he invites him to stay at his apartment.
At work, Oldest Brother meets a new guy, the Talent Agent (Adam Brody) with a penchant for smooth-talking and making Oldest Brother feel oh-so-alive and like his old (well, young) self.
As far as I’m concerned, the biggest downside of this movie is the continual use of Beirut’s “A Sunday Smile”; if you’re a score/soundtrack person, this may come off as lazy and will most likely grate at your nerves. Other than that, pretty much everything is spot on. The plot, though harrowing at times, is captivating (and, hopefully obvious at this point, intended for grown-ups).
The performances given are solid. Considering she’s pushing 70, Bisset still pulls off the role of feisty sexpot fairly well (she’ll probably also make you reevaluate how crazy you think your own parents are); her flashback counterpart, Emma Bell, brings a sweetness to the young Mother, yet still retaining the deceptiveness the character encompasses. Brody’s turn as the suave agent whom “girls are just drawn to” is surprising, as he’s never been one to give off an air of “cool,” but again, he pulls it off, allowing the actor to add “played a total d-bag” to his resume. Josh Lucas, though for most of the movie doesn’t quite take his to the extent he could have (though the shots where he’s gaga for Brody are a treat), makes up for it in his final scene. Lukas Haas as the unfortunate younger brother helps reaffirm the sort of quiet understated method he’s been using ever since Mars Attacks!
DVD Bonus Features
Commentary by writer/director Boaz Yakin
Interviews with the cast and crew, covering topics such as why they signed on for the film; some behind-the-scenes looks are intermingled.
Five small but intriguing featurettes totaling about 26 minutes: “2nd Unit,” “Sex in Death In Love” (in which the actors very frankly discuss their raunchy sex scenes), “Rehearsal,” “Sundance Premiere,” and “Sundance Q&A session.”
"Death in Love" is on sale January 19, 2010 and is rated R. Drama. Written and directed by Boaz Yakin. Starring Adam Brody, Emma Bell, Jacqueline Bisset, Josh Lucas, Lukas Haas, Vanessa Kai.
