An Intimate Investigation of Emotion, Love, and Desire
Gaspar Noé remains one of the most controversial names in cinema, having directed pieces like Enter The Void (2009) and Irreversible (2002) which are known for their confrontational approach to filmmaking. With Love (2015) he deftly explores love and the webs spun by sexual relations intertwined with memories in a bold, explicitly available manner. As a non-narrative feature film, Love strives to bring the audience through an intensely personal tale of grief and passion without providing them with an emotional catharsis. Instead, the audience is only encouraged to see the veneer of these emotions in the aftermaths of sentimental to sensory approach to filmmaking with nostalgia and love alongside passion and loss dominating the aftermath of the emotion.
Plot & Narrative Structure
Amongst the many stories captured under the title Love, one revolves around the life of Murphy (Karl Glusman), a film student from the US, who moves to Paris. His present life is suddenly disrupted by a phone call where his ex girlfriend Electra’s mother informs him about her daughter going missing. This triggers Murphy to descend into a non-linear series of flashback’s reminiscing the past relationship he had with Electra (Aomi Muyock).
While following the present and having glimpses of memories with Electra, the film portrays the fluctuating aspects of their relationship which is fiery, passionate and at certain times toxic. While both lovers share a deep sexual bond, greed, emotional upheaval, jealousy, and possessiveness is also part of the Venus and Mars. Murphy’s ultimate betrayal of cheating on Electra with Omi (Klara Kristin) who winters as the neighbor, results in an inescapable impact that forever leads towards greater trauma when she passes the seed for her offspring in her belly, leads him to collapse.
More than a context, Noé appears to frame Love as a dream of sorts, more particular a fever dream sans a choreographed outline, celebrating the fragmented sequence of events that mirrors the way one’s thoughts tumble in the mind from way back when at times, out of nowhere and with a dazzling high force. While the plot holds on to hurtful love, sexual adventures, and sadness, it undoubtedly feels very intimate but it’s execution in the blend of authentic emotional intensity and self-pleasure.
Themes and symbolism
Even with the aggressive erotic nature featured, Love is less preoccupied with sex and more focused on being human, missing, and so deeply distanced from everything. He tries to show that romance in its primal nakedness can transform one in amazing ways and invoke both deeper and more splintering feelings.
The film’s explicit subject matter (which includes unsimulated sexual activity) is included without restraint as an effort to showcase intimacy in its most uncut form, instead of simply for shock value. This primitive connection between Murphy and Electra’s physique tries to hint towards an emotional bond, but simultaneously showcases the disintegration of a relationship where love turns into dislike for the partner, where passionate and pleasurable activities come along with discomfort.
The sense of compassion intertwined with regret that is felt throughout the film is felt from the perspective of Murphy, who relives loving and painful memories while grappling with a strong sense of guilt during his recollection. This relates to Noé’s frequent idea of time tormenting a figure who tries to escape it chronologically (This concept was featured in Irreversible as well, but in much more savage of a manner).
As a filmmaker, Murphy mentions how cinema captures certain “genuine” feelings, which are often directly aim aimed at by Noé through Love. This serves another self-referential purpose that merges fantasy and reality, leading the audience to feel as if they are watching someone’s diary instead of a film.
Cinematography and Visual Style
Love was captured in 3D because its aim was to be visually gripping. While Noé is famous for his trademark, neon-tinted, and transcendental presentation, here he takes a more subtle approach. Some scenes have his renowned colors, but a large portion of the film is set in a more subdued, naturalistic mode, with warmer, more personal lighting dominating the visuals and illustrating the bodily intimacy of the characters.
Fluid Camera Movements and Features: Noé uses unbroken, lengthy shots to draw in the viewer’s attention to the film and amplify the feeling of voyeurism. The audience watches Murphy up close as he goes through the more secretive portions of his life. The camera floats through the recollections like a phantom which adds to the otherworldly feel of the film.
First-Person Perspective: At certain intervals, the camera work makes it seem like the viewers inhabit Murphy’s reality which has his remorse as a major contributor. This approach helps heighten the involvement of the viewer emotionally, which some viewers may find laborious and monotonous.
Explicit 3D Imagery: The inclusion of 3D to an erotic drama was a daring move, marking the visceral proximity of sex, and the distance between Murphy’s past and present. Some scenes such as the notorious ejaculation shot, challenge the limits of what the audience would accept from cinema.
Performances & Characters
Whatever must be analyzed with Love, its performances are arguably the most controversial aspects. In his strive for greater realism, Noé chose to cast non-professional actors. This decision produces mixed outcomes.
Karl Glusman (Murphy) casts the main character in the least favorable light possible; both proud and weak. He shows the worst side of youth; the inner conflict he goes through is accurately portrayed, albeit somewhat reluctantly as his lines are being delivered in a robotic manner. Still, he succeeds in displaying Murphy’s anguish within.
Aomi Muyock (Electra) gets a part in her first film, and her performance is commendable in its authenticity. There is an exciting chemistry between her and Glusman, but as her character is an idealized lost love, she often fails to go beyond that superficial scope.
Klara Kristin (Omi) is the one who brings Murphy to his knees, but for the most part, her character serves minimal purpose because she is a mere tool. This means she is shallow and consequently uninteresting.
With superficial knowledge of the major world cultures that do exist in the film, The actors are completely inexperienced in real life, which does give the film some credibility. However, at times it makes the conversations seem dull, lifeless, and hollow. Given Noé’s leaning towards ambiance, mood, and setting at the expense of story, the performances are sufficient taking into account the boundaries of such an unconventional film.
Reception & Controversy
Love drew extreme reactions when it first premiered at Cannes in 2015. Some were impressed by the audacity of the film, while other people deemed it as overly pretentious and excessive.
Critics weren’t entirely convinced by the narrative depth of Love. Unlike Lars von Trier’s 2013 Nymphomaniac, which was richly laden with sectarian philosophy, as a counterweight to its explicitly sexual visual content, provocation in Love is not easy to justify. It sometimes falters. In their reviews, critics expressed that ‘sight’ might be Love’s greatest asset, overlooking the cinematic toolkit necessary to construct a plot.
To a portion of the spectator audience, Love encapsulates the spectrum of romantic experiences -sensitive to complex emotions- all bundled up into one. However, for some, it serves as a form of self-gratification – an erotic art flick in a guise that seeks an emotional core but sadly, never comes across one.
Needless to say, the highly explicit sequences in the film made it draw fire when exhibited in different regions of the globe. In turn, it began to gain increased notoriety.
Noé’s Love: A stunning visual, tedious emotionally, and potentially the most arresting film of all time. All out striking and hyperbolic intimate cinema wrapped with creativity is a rice that, is a present that eats, or a parcel that gnaws. It is captivating because it exists at the limits of realistic approach to the concept of relationships but profoundly disturbs those who cherish classical forms of art. The truth remains: the camera is a weapon in the hands of a farmer with artistic endeavors in mind.