Face (also known as Visage for the French translation) would have significantly benefited from a Q & A session, which was cancelled because the director could not make it to Toronto. Speaking to him would have answered the two meaningful questions in the minds of audience members: “What just happened?” and “Did they ever recapture that escaped stag?” This film should not have been selected for the festival and should not have been green lit by a studio for numerous reasons.
Firstly, the film wastes excellent cinematography. Close shots where characters were reflected in mirrors or windows, long fixed shots that showed a character moving down the stairs or through a hallway, and shots that showed a character questioning themselves as the world, for example a highway interchange or the traffic along le Jardin des Tuileries, carries on around them. These camera angles were visually stunning and wasted in a film that will not get significant distribution anywhere.
Secondly, the director hammers the audience over the head with overt symbolism. Characters duct tape mirrors, chant rhymically in a cemetery, and share a bizarre love scene in a meat locker. The first scene depicts a failed meeting with the director and his producer in a coffee shop. They never connect, just as the film never connects with its goal to explore how one discovers their own identity.
There is also an attempt to break down the fourth wall and make Face self-referential. The main character is a Taiwanese director attempting to make a film in Paris. I think that this proved to be a distraction from the main themes of the film.
Lastly, the screenplay is poor. Some images are absurd, such as a kitchen sink accident reminiscent of the Welch House Flood of ’99 or opera characters whose opulent costumes cannot fit in the tight spaces of the real world. I think that the point is that we are always struggling through life, trying to find ourselves. People may handle obstacles differently, perhaps by trying to hide or attempting to deny the truth, but they musts move forward regardless. In the end, humanity is driven by the passions that provide the most significant moments in life.
But I really have no idea. Maybe the director simply wanted to tell the world that canned tomatoes and plastic wrap are not used nearly enough as sexual devices. 0