Nearly wordless film starring Robert Redford profound
J.C. Chandor, the writer/director of the marvelous and talky “Margin Call,” has directed a nearly wordless drama starring Robert Redford as a nameless man lost at sea. The film opens with a shot slowly panning over the ocean and a boat while the main character, played by Redford, only referred to in the credits as “Our Man,” recites a letter he has written to his loved ones. Then the film goes back days before when this solitary man is on his boat in the middle of the Indian Ocean.
Who he is, where he’s from and why he’s out to sea is never revealed. His boat is struck by a cargo ship, damaging the side of his boat, and he must repair it with the material and tools he has on board. On top of that, severe weather comes his way making the boat a minuscule rocking dot in the crashing waves and foam.
The 106-minute film has the 77-year-old actor as its only cast member, and he has virtually no dialogue. Even more than “Gravity,” which with it has strong parallels, “All Is Lost” is an example of pure cinema. Films are often driven by dialogue and plot, but gifted filmmakers know how to relate information, emotion and character development to an audience without the use of the spoken word. What might sound like a boring film is actually a profound and richly rewarding experience. The audience is asked to watch this man struggle with nature and his existence.
There is something transfixing about watching a character perform tasks on screen. The process of him maintaining his boat and trying to survive is compelling and visually arresting. Redford is able to create a fully developed character without dialogue or a backstory. The former pretty boy’s still handsome but rugged and weathered face speaks volumes. In some ways he is a distant character, going about his business with a quiet proficiency and determination. He does not “act” for the camera. The character is built through his actions and choices. His fight to live makes for a film of great beauty about strength and, if it does not sound too cliché, man’s will to survive. He was snubbed of an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, but was rightfully nominated for a Golden Globe.
To call the film a silent film would be incorrect. The sound design and mix of the film is exceptional. Seeing the film theatrically will greatly enhance the experience. The sound, excuse the pun, washes over the viewer.
The bare-bones narrative and the lack of character information boil the film down to a tale of survival and existential questioning. It is a film that was widely critically acclaimed but made little money at the box office or did not receive enough award recognition. Go and see the film in theaters and see why it will be one of the main films talked about a hundred years from now.