Kay: “What if it does die?”
Louis: “What?”
Kay: “The tree.”
Louis: “Well, we’ll get another one.”
Kay: “Yeah, but this is our tree.”
Louis: “Look, it’s not gonna die. The roots
grow really strong. They can split concrete.”
Years before Jane Campion would make a name for herself with such films as Bright Star (2009), In The Cut (2003), and probably most famously the Oscar winning The Piano (1993), she wrote and directed this brilliant psychological drama that stunningly explores the inner workings of a small, yet utterly complex family. Sweetie was Campion’s debut feature length film and with it she immediately proved her worth as a writer (the film was co-written by her and Gerard Lee) and director, and revealed her unique narrative and aesthetic vision. I was exposed to this film during a class on female directors during my first undergrad, and was immediately drawn to this odd, visually stunning tale, flush with metaphor and depth.
At the heart of it, this film is about a
subtly neurotic and superstitious woman, Kay (Karen Colston), who’s attempting
to forge her way as an independent adult. She has very few friends and everyone
around her seems to think her quite eccentric. After a reading from her psychic
she finds herself in the awkward situation of having to steal a co-worker’s
fiancé, Louis (Tom Lycos), as she believes that they were destined to be
together. From this moment we fast-forward with the couple, seeing only a few
important moments in the development of their relationship until the moment
that Lou planted a tree for Kay in their back yard. Believing that the tree
could prove some sort of omen for their relationship she rejects it, snaps, and
uproots the tree, hiding it underneath the bed in the spare room before
anything bad can happen. Although she then moves into the spare bedroom to
guard the decaying sapling, everything seems reasonably fine; however their
relationship issues are increasingly bubbling underneath the surface. Though
the tensions in their relationship seems to be stuck at a simmer, it begins to
boil over with the arrival of Kay’s unhinged punk rock sister, Dawn, AKA
‘Sweetie’ (Geneviève Lemon), and her drug addled ‘manager’ Bob.
From this point Sweetie, as well as the rest
of Kay’s family, begins to unravel the stability of Kay’s life and her
relationship with Louis. The trials and tribulations of the family, Louis, and
Bob, beautifully mirror real life’s propensity to be filled with comedy, drama,
pain, and revelation. The dysfunction inherent in all of the relationships comes
to light but in a remarkable fashion. While many of the issues addressed or
hinted at have often been used as fodder for film and literary plots, the way
that Campion addresses them skirts cliché and demonstrates a level of finesse
and skill not often seen in a debut feature. The talent that shines through in Sweetie
most definitely portends Campion's gifts that she would expound upon in her
later works.
Aside from the fascinating off-kilter story of
this peculiar familial system, and the splendid way that Campion deals with
such issues, let me enumerate a few other reasons that I feel compelled to turn
you on to this fantastic film. First and foremost, the way that the film was
shot is brilliant! The use of out of the ordinary framing and composition for
scenes is incredibly engaging and it would often seem that there is something
that can be read underneath the surface of every scene. Secondly, and something
that goes hand in hand with the aesthetics of the film, Campion imbued this
film with an incredible amount of metaphorical layers. There is a certain
almost indescribable depth to the film that forces me to question everything
and read into all of the subtle context in order to gain a more complete
understanding of the somewhat simple story. Third, and finally, the acting is
glorious. Geneviève Lemon and Karen Colston in particular effortlessly embody
their roles as utterly opposing sibling personalities. The one reserved (Kay)
and the other an unapologetic train wreck (Sweetie), they seem to have been
made for these roles and their interaction with each other truly makes you
believe that they have been embroiled in this strange sibling rivalry all their
lives.
It is for all of the aforementioned reasons
and more that I implore you to check out this fantastic film, I promise that
you won't regret it. Plus, the Criterion Collection's beautiful release of Sweetie
happens to come with some amazing extras, such as Campion's early short films
and much more, that will further give you a glimpse into the creative process of
an amazing writer/director.
- Edward Hill
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