Does Eneil Kariya's first feature film, 'Affect,' become a full-fledged movie, or is it more interesting as a topic for discussion?
Briefly about the Plot
There is clearly something wrong with Joseph (Ben Whishaw), a simple London airport worker. He is like a ticking time bomb, ready to explode at any moment. And when it happens, everyone around will be in for a rough time...
This is not the story of one person. It is a brief and vivid story of one psychosis, simultaneously so unexpected and so inevitable.
The Feeling of 'Affect'
Kariya's film is one of those that is dangerous to recommend. Even if you really liked it (and I don't rule out that possibility).
'Affect' brilliantly accomplishes its task—to evoke in the viewer a state of gradually increasing discomfort and even a slightly altered consciousness. This effect is achieved through a shaky handheld camera (sometimes physically painful to watch), an almost complete absence of a soundtrack (whose echoes only appear in the final third), and Whishaw's surprisingly believable performance.
His behavior closely resembles alcohol intoxication, where one feels the need to make strange movements and sounds to regain a sense of one's own body. And although it is surprisingly true to life, it heavily weighs on the viewer's psyche, as from a certain point it does not stop for a minute.
Man vs. System
The theme of human freedom from the system. Moreover, it has been attempted multiple times through the depiction of mental illness. An abnormal person ceases to perceive boundaries as the norm and 'truly breaks free.' Small things that once seemed so important lose their significance.
However, here we encounter an interesting aspect of such stories and how 'Affect' differs from them.
Take for comparison the film 'Falling Down.' In it, the metamorphoses happening to the protagonist are a direct consequence of the environment's impact on Michael Douglas's character, pushed to the boiling point. The system tries with all its might to break him. It's exaggerated, hyperbolic, cinematic, but it's a direct cause-and-effect relationship.
In our case, the system is not trying to break Joseph, who is initially not entirely healthy or sound of mind.
Whishaw's character encounters no resistance. We don't want to venture too far into spoiler territory, but Joseph does not rebel or protest, no matter how much our brain wants to diagnose the plot that way. Therefore, the theme of rebellion against the system can only be attributed to 'Affect' with a stretch.
Hyper-realism and Its Consequences
Joseph's psychosis itself is depicted very convincingly. So convincingly that it creates a few inconsistencies in perception. The author of this article has a couple of thoughts on why this happened, which she will attempt to explain further.
After the premiere screening in St. Petersburg, psychoanalyst Mikhail Sobolev spoke, briefly explaining what was happening to Joseph and how it relates to reality.
Those present at the screening had the impression that the protagonist, despite everything, ultimately had the opportunity to achieve freedom and happiness through his psychosis. To this, Mikhail noted that in reality, such a state is destructive and that the vast majority of people who have experienced psychosis actually feel very unwell.
And here lies the main miscalculation of the creators, which causes the film to collapse like a house of cards.
Kariya portrays the protagonist in the best idealistic traditions, while simultaneously trying to depict psychosis as realistically as possible. In the romanticization of psychosis in 'Affect,' there is not enough romanticization for a strong work of art, and not enough psychosis (overwhelming, depressive, real) for the 'just like in life' effect.
So it turns out that it is impossible to sit on these two chairs. But the attempt is more than convincing and can teach us a lot in the future, especially about properly maintaining balance.
Conclusion
Is this film worth watching? Yes, for a prepared viewer, it is. Just as it is important to know what you are getting into and what you will experience. 'Affect' deserves respect for not being afraid to take risks and not hesitating to use many interesting tools to provoke the viewer.
At the same time, it could serve as an excellent testing ground for future psychological thrillers. Eneil Kariya certainly has the potential to grow into a good, solid filmmaker who simply lacks experience at this point.
But the faint of heart are asked to leave.
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