Fridae

Based on a true story that covers murder, incest and homosexuality amongst others; some audience members will definitely be squirming in their seats throughout. What cannot be denied, however, is that Savage Grace is a powerful piece of filmmaking, and coupled with a very strong, potentially Oscar-worthy performance from Julianne Moore, makes for an absorbing viewing experience.

However, the vignette style of the movie also means that the insights into the Baekeland family and the eventual murder of Barbara Daly Baekeland by her son Antony remain frustratingly shallow, the one point that takes this film down a notch from a cinematic masterpiece.

Structured as six vignettes over six locales between 1946 and 1972, Savage Grace tells the story of Barbara Daly (Julianne Moore), who marries into the very wealthy Baekeland family (of Bakelite plastics fame), and her tempestuous relationships with her husband Brooks (Stephen Dillane) and her son Tony.

In the earliest scene, set in New York when Tony is still a baby, it's clear that Brooks is unable to deal with the near-desperate manner that Barbara wants to become part of society's upper crust. By the time the narrative moves to Paris in 1959, there's no doubt that Brooks and Barbara's marriage is on the rocks. The 13-year-old Antony shares a special bond with his mother, but it is already clear that Barbara is trying too hard to prove that her son is worthy of his social status and virtually smothering Tony with her somewhat misguided love.

Flashforward to the late 1960s in Cadaques, and Tony has grown up to be a young man (Eddie Redmayne) but is struggling with a confused sexuality. His attempt at a dalliance with a local girl Blanca (Elena Anaya) ends quickly when Brooks claims her for his own. Tony then hooks up with Jake (Unax Ugalde), a young man he met on the beach, but is resentful that he has become the only source of emotional support for his mother. One can say that his descent into mental illness ensues from this point.

When the action next moves to Ibiza, gay walker Sam (Hugh Dancy) comes into the picture. An art dealer, he becomes an integral part of their lives, but is also the precursor to Barbara and Tony's relationship becoming more unnatural. They both lust and long for Sam, and in the end an uneasy compromise is made. After a brief stay back in Paris, Barbara and Tony move to London, where seemingly a mix of self-need and a desire to “cure” Tony of his homosexuality leads Barbara to committing incest with her son, which in all probability contributed to the final, shocking act of violence.

This is easily Julianne Moore's most challenging role in many years, and she plays the part of Barbara Daly to perfection. It's a difficult, layered performance but Moore nails every aspect of it, from Barbara's initial poseur charm to her hard-edged bitterness near the end. (Of particular note is the scene where she finally commits incest with Tony.) This is surely a standout performance from one of the best actresses of our time, and there is a strong likelihood of multiple plaudits coming her way in the awards season next year. The rest of the cast offer solid performances but none as stellar as Moore's.

Tom Kalin (Swoon, 1992, regarded to be New Queer Cinema classic) makes a return to the director's chair after 15 years away to film both the people and the beautiful locales with a sure and even hand. There are no flourishes to be found but with such a powerful story it would have been unnecessary to do so. Savage Grace may not be completely successful on all counts, and comes up lacking particularly in the narrative structure, but if dysfunction interests you then it would be one of the best films of the year.