I went to see ’Irreversable’ on the same weekend as ’The Rules of Attraction’. Of the two films this one was in a whole new league. ’Irreversable’ is basically the story of a rape and the story before and after. Unlike a Hollywood movie where most of the film would be spent analising the psychology of the act or just having Holly Hunter cry a lot, the french take a much more effective view. The film itself is set in reverse, starting with a murder, a truly brutal one at that, working through a rape (I’ll get back to that) and ending at the start where it all starts to fall apart. Each scene seems to have been filmed without any cuts during scenes and considering the scenes are quite long it is a great Testiment to the actors involved. The films central event is of course the rape, which lasts for about 20 minutes and never cuts away, it is truly disturbing and uncomfortable and sickening and yet once you have been through it you will never be the same again.
I can’t say that I would recommend it to anyone though as it is truly a struggle to watch, made in a way that leaves you disorientated and dazed and feeling quite dirty. Having said that I think it is a film that everyone should see, but only if they know what they are getting into.