REVIEW : "The Four Times" (2010) - Movie by Michelangelo Frammartino

Do you believe in reincarnation? No, well neither do I. But the old philosopher Pythagoras did and he identified four categories of ontology that pointed in the direction of human existence passing through four phases, based on his observations of the natural world in which he and we live in.

I will try not to spoil too much of the "fun" of figuring out the story in this highly cryptic Italian movie. Except to say that allegedly, Pythagoras and his brotherhood lived in Calabria for a while (?), the exact landscape used in this movie. If you plan on watching this movie without any idea of what it is about, consider this a significant intervention. There are some spoilers ahead, but for a good reason.

First of all, the cinematography is great, in all its gritty and worn down spectacle. The director obviously made sure to choose locations, and make the montage, so it enabled the possibility of the viewer, to feel a connection between the scenes and the events portrayed. But it is quite well hidden, certainly if you are unaware of the Pythagoras connection I mention above.

I would go as far to say, that the movie is better, with this knowledge beforehand. I felt quite confused until around mid way through, when I decided to look up the meaning of it all. I started to feel like watching "Goat Simulator - The Movie". This helped me to get things in place. I don´t like it when I am left too much in the dark and the story is hidden by too many metaphors or connections you have to realize to understand what is supposed to go on.

I can see clearly now what the director/scriptwriter is trying to put together and it certainly works - and is even pretty creatively stitched together in four sections, separated by a death/birth link. The story and the plot has to take place around this small Italian mountain city - and they manage perfectly to make this "reincarnation" seem, at least conceptually plausible.

The ends seem to all come together and meet in the end so the cycle can keep going once more, and once and so on. But I still believe that the viewer, unless he or she is very knowledgeable of Pythagoras or otherwise connect some very faint dots, is better off knowing the structure beforehand. But I may be wrong.

It seems obvious to me that there is a similarity to Tarr´s Turin Horse, which is structured in a similar way, but more dark and nihilistic. The Four Times (Le Quattro Volte) is much more organic and foundationally life-confirming and positive in its feel. But its beauty is that it is all going on in ones head and the pictures just help you create the story and the philosophy you might say.

During the movie I had the kind of helicopter or god-mode view feeling. It is clear that you are very distanced from the humans going about doing their thing. In stead you act as a surveillance camera or something like that, to make you feel that you have some responsibility to this. Since you seem to have the broad view of things, while the "little" people you "manage", are occupied by their individual tasks.

I am not sure I like this aspect too much even if it is well executed. It does suggest that "someone" can be the overseer and the "god" commanding humans, which would be something not too unfamiliar with an Italian director. There certainly are a lot of references early on to Christianity as a specific "trait" of humans and the "lost lamb" parable was one I clearly understood on my own accord. Call me crazy, I am not even a religious person.

It is a thought provoking movie though, when you connect the dots and it certainly does not force anything down your throat or moralise. It is pretty much left to the viewer to think everything out.

It is a hard movie to judge as such. I liked the cinematography very much and the "cast" of animals is also very well executed. Check out the naughty dog "starting" a van. But the meaning is so well hidden and you can pretty much sit through it and not get any idea of what it is about. I find this to be a bit too much of a demand on the viewer. But again, the satisfaction of figuring it out is destroyed if you have the purpose beforehand. I prefer the knowledge but I am sure a lot of people would not. It gets my good recommendations for its simplicity, its, at times, very delicious cinematography and a well structured "plot".

8/10