If there is a slower moving film than The Wait, you would be hard-pressed to find it. In this lyrical, poetic work concerning a grieving mother and her son’s girlfriend, very little is said. Instead, it features languorous shots of Sicily.
Anna (Juliette Binoche) refuses to accept that her son Giuseppe is dead and will never return. She is in mourning and the vast rooms of her beautiful villa are quiet. But when twenty-something Jeanne (Lou de Laage) calls saying Giuseppe has invited her to the house so they can spend Easter together, Anna encourages her to come. Upon her arrival, Anna can’t bring herself to tell her that Guiseppe isn’t there and won’t ever be there again. Instead, she informs Jeanne that he will be there soon and sets about getting to know her.
Although understandably hesitant and mystified at first, Jeanne gradually gives in to the charms of the volcanic island. She swims in the nearby lake and makes new friends, while Anna – watched over by Pietro (Giorgio Colangeli) a long-time family friend – also comes out of her shell. Still, in large measure, they share a silent intimacy. But Giuseppe’s absence remains unexplained. Jeanne is all the more anxious because she had a falling out with Guiseppe not so long ago and is keen to get things back on track.
Measured and contemplative, The Wait marks the arrival of new filmmaker Piero Messina. Much of the movie’s power is in its cinematography. The surroundings are grand, even if the mood is somber. It is an emotional piece with art-house proclivities and a religious undercurrent. I dare say many will find the going too hard. There is slow burn and then there is The Wait, which, at times, all but stopped.
Jeanne’s sensuality is another element in the film, her vitality a driving force amongst the pain, anguish and complexities. From a pure plotting perspective, I question whether anyone would be prepared to wait as long as Jeanne appears to for a logical explanation as to Guiseppe’s no show. But, of course, without that we wouldn’t have a film.
Water frolics and gourmet meals aside, The Wait is perfect fare for film festivals and for those happy to embrace the obtuse. Others should probably steer clear, because much remains unexplained. Rated M, it scores a 5 out of 10.
Director: Piero Messina
Cast: Juliette Binoche, Lou de Laâge
Release Date: 30 June 2016
Rating: M – Mature themes and brief nudity
Alex First
David Edwards is the editor of The Blurb and a contributor on film and television
