BLACKBIRD – TIFF19 Review by Lauren Bradshaw
Despite Blackbird’s bleak subject matter, it is one of the best films I have seen at TIFF this year. Of course, the extraordinary cast is the highlight of the film, but the gorgeous cinematography and long, lingering wide shots of the family interacting gave the voyeuristic viewpoint of a fly on the wall and really helps audiences connect emotionally with the characters.
A remake of a Danish film, Blackbird focuses on a family coming together to celebrate the last weekend of the matriarch of the family’s life. Lily (Susan Sarandon) is terminally ill and starting to feel her body shut down. Instead of waiting for her condition to get worse and taking away her self-sufficiency, Lily decides she wants to end her life her way, on her own terms. So she gathers together her husband (Sam Neill), best friend (Lindsay Duncan), daughters Jennifer (Kate Winslet) and Anna (Mia Wasikowska), and their families to enjoy one last weekend as a family. After the family leaves, Lily plans to take medication to end her life. Continue reading…
