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I'm Going Home [Je rentre à la maison (2001)] is a masterpiece from Manoel de Oliveira. This film is quiet,fascinating, and truly memorable. de Oliveira has chosen the aging, brilliant French actor Michel Piccoli to portray an aging, brilliant French actor. The combination of skilled director and skilled actor results in an almost perfect film. The plot is basic and could be summarized in a paragraph. What makes this movie a masterpiece is the manner in which de Oliveira sets up each scene so that it is an organicentity--linked to the scenes before and after it, but nonetheless able to stand on its own. Each scene is, in fact, a smallmasterpiece. As an example, Piccoli's character is seated in front of themirror, while a makeup artist carefully, skillfully, and professionally adds makeup. The scene is shot as if through the mirror, so Piccoli and the makeup person are looking at us to check the results. A man stands quietly in the background. At first we don't understand why he is there. Then, the makeup artists pauses, and the man begins to place a wig on Piccoli's head. All three of these people areportrayed as experienced, capable, and clearly expert at what they do. They work quietly and efficiently in a manner expected of people who have done this before, and will do itagain. The man steps back, the makeup person begins to add a moustache, and, by the end of the scene, Piccoli's appearance is transformed. A gem! Think of this movie as if you were at an exhibition of Vermeerpaintings. You move from painting to painting. Most of the works are small, often just one or two persons are portrayed, and the lighting and composition are perfect. Each painting is a masterpiece, and together they create a brilliant exhibition. This is "I'm Going Home." If you want bright colors, action, large expanses of flesh, multiple characters, and constant movement, find an exhibition of paintings by Rubens. Perhaps equally enjoyable, but not Vermeer, and not de Oliveira.
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