I saw this at the Toronto Film Festival when it first came out in 2005. The director was there to answer questions, as was the lovely Marie Gillain. She is absolutely awesome in person! The NTSC DVD was released in late 2009.
I think this is one of those movies where it depends on what the viewer brings to the theatre. I can see where it could leave some people cold, but to me it was extremely relevant and moving. The basic plot is how the father's actions affect his wife and children. But really it is about how the wife's actions affect the father and the children. Because ultimately it is not the action (or supposed action) itself that causes the issues, it's the reaction of the wife that causes the later reaction in the children. It's really a lesson in giving someone the benefit of the doubt, of loving them enough to trust them. The details of what the children do to screw up their lives is necessary, but only to show that they are screwed up. The details are unimportant, and those who focus on this aspect of the movie--although it obviously takes up a lot of time--are missing the point. I suppose you could try to psychoanalyze each daughter and her issues--is the one who's having an affair with a professor looking for a substitute father? etc.--but I think that is unnecessary. The real climax is the last line of the movie, as others have said. It really gives you something to think about and it puts the rest of the movie into context. It's downright chilling.
The opening scene of the cuckoo and the nest was, according to the director, an accident. They were filming the father's release from prison, and they ran across this nest with the cuckoo, so they filmed it because it was so cool. So cool that they stuck it in as the opening scene. I know I spent the entire movie trying to figure out the analogy between the cuckoo and the rest of the movie...I suppose there's a vague connection, but don't lose sleep over it. Watch it as a segment in a nice nature movie, and then concentrate on the movie itself.
I think this is one of those movies where it depends on what the viewer brings to the theatre. I can see where it could leave some people cold, but to me it was extremely relevant and moving. The basic plot is how the father's actions affect his wife and children. But really it is about how the wife's actions affect the father and the children. Because ultimately it is not the action (or supposed action) itself that causes the issues, it's the reaction of the wife that causes the later reaction in the children. It's really a lesson in giving someone the benefit of the doubt, of loving them enough to trust them. The details of what the children do to screw up their lives is necessary, but only to show that they are screwed up. The details are unimportant, and those who focus on this aspect of the movie--although it obviously takes up a lot of time--are missing the point. I suppose you could try to psychoanalyze each daughter and her issues--is the one who's having an affair with a professor looking for a substitute father? etc.--but I think that is unnecessary. The real climax is the last line of the movie, as others have said. It really gives you something to think about and it puts the rest of the movie into context. It's downright chilling.
The opening scene of the cuckoo and the nest was, according to the director, an accident. They were filming the father's release from prison, and they ran across this nest with the cuckoo, so they filmed it because it was so cool. So cool that they stuck it in as the opening scene. I know I spent the entire movie trying to figure out the analogy between the cuckoo and the rest of the movie...I suppose there's a vague connection, but don't lose sleep over it. Watch it as a segment in a nice nature movie, and then concentrate on the movie itself.