Four Windows (2005/Water Bearer DVD)

 

Picture: C     Sound: C     Extras: C     Film: C+

 

 

The odd thing about Christian Moris Muller’s Four Windows (2005) is that the four somewhat related (or unrelated?) segments are interesting, well-acted, well shot and seem to be going somewhere, yet in the end, there is not much of a point after all the set-up and not enough is said and done (in the too-short 80 minutes) here.  This is about a family, splitting its story into four family members: son, daughter, father, mother.  Almost sounds like a hit record.

 

The reason Water Bearer issued it is because the son is secretly gay and enjoys intercourse with older men, which is handled with intelligence and realism without being a joke.  Muller never blames the family for his sexuality, but just implies that this is who he is and that is the way it is.  That kind of maturity put this work on track, so I was disappointed when it all ended abruptly with no point.  I did not even want closure, just a point.  Maybe next time.

 

The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image is on the soft side, with poor detail, major Video Black issues, next to no shadow detail and color that is barely consistent.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 sound is more location-limited than I would have liked and is lower in volume than expected, so be careful of playback levels.  Extras include the trailer and a half-hour interview featurette.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo