In the opening scene of "Félix & Meira," it is clear that the character Meira is just waiting for her moment of liberation from her repressed life in a Hasidic Jewish community in Quebec. One of the most famous plays of the 19th century is Ibsen's "A Doll's House," in which the character Nora Helmer similarly braces herself for the opportune moment to walk out on her stultifying home life.
But a major difference between Ibsen's writing and that of this film is in the ability for the audience to see the development of the protagonist, the evolution of her courage, and her moment-to-moment thought process in her life-changing decision. A shortcoming of "Félix & Meira" is the static nature of the film, even when the character makes the courageous decision to walk out on her husband and her community.
Similarly, the enigmatic Félix is also underdeveloped as a character. There is a startling moment when the rabbi husband of Meira reads a letter left to Félix by his recently deceased father. The father offers a heartfelt apology for the way he treated his son and adversely impacted his life. Yet it is never made clear in the film whether the letter has had even the slightest impact on Félix.
Much of the plotting of the film was clumsy with sudden changes from Quebec to Brookyn, where Félix adopts a truly bizarre disguise, and, later, to Venice, where Félix, Meira, and her child suddenly show up. Again, there was no arc of development of the characters. This is most apparent in a stunning moment when Félix touches Meira's hair, only to discover that it is wig. Yet Meira continues to wear the wig to the very end of the film.
It was easy to see why Meira would want to sever ties with her husband. At one point, she confesses to a friend that she is reluctant to bear "6, 10, or 14" children, as required by custom. The friend immediately reports the conversation to the husband, betraying Meira and making her life even more claustrophobic. In one of her early meetings with Félix, Meira confesses that "I'd like to know what it's like to be single." It is unfortunate that she never comes close to experiencing her wish.
But a major difference between Ibsen's writing and that of this film is in the ability for the audience to see the development of the protagonist, the evolution of her courage, and her moment-to-moment thought process in her life-changing decision. A shortcoming of "Félix & Meira" is the static nature of the film, even when the character makes the courageous decision to walk out on her husband and her community.
Similarly, the enigmatic Félix is also underdeveloped as a character. There is a startling moment when the rabbi husband of Meira reads a letter left to Félix by his recently deceased father. The father offers a heartfelt apology for the way he treated his son and adversely impacted his life. Yet it is never made clear in the film whether the letter has had even the slightest impact on Félix.
Much of the plotting of the film was clumsy with sudden changes from Quebec to Brookyn, where Félix adopts a truly bizarre disguise, and, later, to Venice, where Félix, Meira, and her child suddenly show up. Again, there was no arc of development of the characters. This is most apparent in a stunning moment when Félix touches Meira's hair, only to discover that it is wig. Yet Meira continues to wear the wig to the very end of the film.
It was easy to see why Meira would want to sever ties with her husband. At one point, she confesses to a friend that she is reluctant to bear "6, 10, or 14" children, as required by custom. The friend immediately reports the conversation to the husband, betraying Meira and making her life even more claustrophobic. In one of her early meetings with Félix, Meira confesses that "I'd like to know what it's like to be single." It is unfortunate that she never comes close to experiencing her wish.