The story appears simple on the surface, but is revealed, especially after multiple viewings, as more multi-layered and textured than Cassavetes at his best. Ostensibly it concerns a 14-year old Catholic girl, Wynne (Agutter) growing up in this post-modern wasteland, who develops a crush on her much older adoptive brother (Marshall)- a crush which perversely deepens and grows into infatuation once she starts to believe he is the local sex killer. This is in itself an idea that makes you sit up and jolt, but as the narrative develops, it continues not necessarily along a linear path but in several confusing and fascinating directions: the family's history, (detailed effectively in chilling flashback during an improvised seance) is a chequered one, and has suffered at least one major relocation and upheaval in the last ten years. At the crux, however, it's the depiction of socialal changes that make I Start Counting so fascinating and elevate its language far beyond the confines of the standard horror film. The major subtext- that teenage girls were maturing more quickly than before, and developing full sexual and romantic appetites (even if in thought rather than deed) but were not possessed of enough discretion to make the right choices- was a step forward for a genre in which its young females had previously been portrayed as bimbo victims (Cover Girl Killer and The Night Caller spring to mind), but not one that all viewers would necessarily agree with. But most striking of all, and possibly the most enduring image which the viewer will take away with them, is of the masterful symbolism with which director Greene invests every shot. Every inch of the Kinch family's world- their house, their walls, their TV, Agutters underwear, bedroom furniture and toys, Sutcliffe's clothes, Marshalls van, the local Catholic church, their town centre, their record shop) - is painted a bright, scintillating white- a white which, by inference, is slowly becoming smudged and corrupted with the dirt of the outside world. White also symbolises, of course, purity and innocence (two qualities Catholic schoolgirls are supposed to hold dear), and it is into this world of innocence that the ever-present red bus (a symbol of violation and penetration), conducted by the lecherous yet similarly juvenile Simon Ward, makes regular journeys. The allegory is further expanded in one scene where Agutter believes she sees the Christ figure in church weeping blood: by the time we acknowledge it, its gone, but the seed has already been planted. Rarely in a genre production has the use of colour and background been so important or effective in creating a uniformity of mood. I Start Counting is as near-perfect an end to a decade as one could hope for, and exactly the kind of film people should be making now- which is, of course, exactly why they never will. A genre essential. by D.R.
零碎的情感，莫名的人物关系，来无影去无踪的生活，这些可能正是PTSD患者的写照。这种表现方式有点像洋蓟-本体没什么正经东西，吃完有后劲。
本质上我觉得是过去创伤与自我救赎外加提了一下美军逼供，披了个打牌的皮。主人公很挣扎拧巴，看的我也很挣扎，在还可以-一般-其实还可以-真的一般之间来回挣扎。
黑色电影斥体制，噱头过后尽催眠。
像《出租车司机》一个社会边缘愤怒而忧伤的人，又像《海边的曼彻斯特》一个困在悲惨回忆中的人。有胡子的奥斯卡和没胡子的奥斯卡完全是两个人。
身体，灵魂，自我折磨（内疚、苦行、救赎...)，以及美国人的身份和对布列松的热爱：施拉德总在书写具有相似度的人物。美国先生几乎要立刻掌握了最高财富，在一个后911（居然在20周年的时候上映）、后伊拉克的时代，美国人将投入多少筹码到自己的国家？又或是伤害自己作为向国家的报复，酒店或许只是自我流放之地，获得救赎的概率微乎其微，去除了上一部的那些宗教因素，宗教之外的症结在哪？在最后，救赎只会以爱的形式出现，隔着监狱的两只手，在静态平面中身体在连续运动中暂停，这《创世纪》一般的姿势将某种自我意识神话化，试图集中所有唤起一些力量。在此之前的人物只是不会带来浸入感的空的容器，当然也是一种“布列松式的紧缩”—已经没人像这样拍电影了—如艾萨克工整清晰、纪律严明的手写文字，看上去没什么稀奇的也看似已经过时了。
这片要放在二十年前绝对是部美式文艺神片，无论是男主的挑选还是整体的调调，都可以打满分的。可惜在短视频占统治地位的今天，节奏就稍微有些慢了，信息密度有些低，爽点不够多，也就是我这样的古董业余观影人才会喜欢点赞吧。而且还有一个硬伤就是，为了迎合美式的政治正确，非得整个肥黑女做女主，真是拉垮全片。如果换成一个金发白皮尤物，那这片几乎就没有任何缺点了。
类型结合的并不成功，反而浪费了太多的精力在不精彩的牌桌上。多数情节靠人物对话来推进，不是一个好的电影范本。能进威尼斯也许是因为他题材的特殊性吧…看不进去
零碎的情感，莫名的人物关系，来无影去无踪的生活，这些可能正是PTSD患者的写照。这种表现方式有点像洋蓟-本体没什么正经东西，吃完有后劲。
如果集中营里的那些纳粹士兵们呐喊他们也是受害者，反正我是不认的！
执着于过去的伤痕，妄想得到救赎，却重复撕开伤疤永远无法向前。
太难看了…配乐一响起来就困到不行…
如果最后算总账的那场戏略去，给观众一个想象空间，我会给多一星。【观影史 211202】
类型结合的并不成功，反而浪费了太多的精力在不精彩的牌桌上。多数情节靠人物对话来推进，不是一个好的电影范本。能进威尼斯也许是因为他题材的特殊性吧…看不进去
选了打德州扑克的作为切入点着实让人迷茫。关塔那摩ptsd，主线隐藏蛮深，最后复仇的结局让人懵逼。不过看完好一会儿，才感到，后劲很大。
奥斯卡太辣太帅了，剧情比较平淡，但是结局还不错
一定是部两极分化的电影，你能看到出租车司机的影子。保罗施拉德气质太对了，长处短处都太明显了。他太注重人物精神状态的拿捏而忽视了基本的叙事逻辑。这就让人物和叙事产生了脱节，复仇、打牌、做爱等等这些情节要素都脱离了重点。但是反而这种离心力让人物身上产生迷人气质，于绝望和痛苦中重拾人性。
看评价好像比较两级，但我好喜欢啊。电影的气质非常迷人，从开头就被吸引了，内核还是ptsd反战那一套，但故事营造的氛围和节奏非常好。监狱片段用广角展现有巧思。配乐爱了，我要去找原声了。伊萨克最近出镜率比较高啊，之前一直没get到他，在这部里好像对味了。
太喜欢这个风格了，视听真的很棒，每次这个配乐一起来，丧的情绪就已经到位了，自我救赎与复仇执念，看似走向光明的未来，却没能算到少年意气，最后宿命般的完成使命，坦然迎接结局，只是在最后却又留有了一点光明和希望，爱就是生活的意义。
#2021威尼斯主竞赛# 完全隐匿了赌博的激情，取而代之的是清教徒苦行保守式的自我救赎。试图拯救迷途的羔羊，勇于直面过去的创伤，放逐自我幸福再次囿于被撕裂的伤口里。Mr.USA的胜利，又何尝不是美利坚的幻灭呢。
3.5/节奏慢需要耐心。赌博只是业余爱好，施暴者一系列创伤后应激障碍才是主要。
Copyright © 2015-2023 All Rights Reserved
