When I first saw the trailer for A Cure for Wellness I was excited. It seemed like a modern film with an interesting concept, and you may know by now that I love anything psychological, and I also enjoy a horror/thriller type movie; something exciting and progressive.
From the title and the trailer, I was expecting the film to ask some interesting questions. Part of the trailer starts to question what is 'being well'. In one part of the film (don't worry not a spoiler) a character asks another 'you say you're well but what is well, when was the last time you had 8 hours uninterrupted sleep?'. I think this is a really interesting point. What is well? What is 'normal'? A lot of the time the perfect life we strive for may be unattainable. I feel like I am well, but I will always feel anxious about some things, I will always have body parts that I am unhappy with, I will always be hurt by some comments, and I will never have a regular 8 hour sleep. But does that make me unwell?
That is the question I wanted this film to use as a discussion point.
It did not.
The film is set in the heart of the Swiss Alps, in an old building that is now being used as a hospital, helping people become well via some rather abstract treatments, also including some lovely looking sauna/steam room pods, lying in a giant vat of water, and playing crochet. Our main character Lockhart (Dane DeHaan), is sent to this wellness retreat to bring back his boss Pembroke (Harry Groener), to sign something off for some big business merger or something like that. Upon entering the institute, Lockhart is told no one ever leaves (why would you?) and that's when all this creepy nonsense kicks off. Jason Isaacs plays Volmer, the main doctor in charge of treatment, and we also meet Hannah (Mia Goth), Volmer's special patient, who is much younger than the rest of the clientele.
From here we come face to face with nightmares like losing teeth, walking around with no shoes on, getting your period in a weird place, eels, and incest amongst other things. There is so much packed in, that I started to think it just got a bit overwhelming and boring, it felt like things were added to the plot for the sake of it. Sometimes simplicity is key. With all these bizarre plot lines, weird irrelevant questions start being asked, and sometimes the answer isn't satisfactory or ever given. For example, at one point in the film there are lots of shots of this Mac lipstick - I thought it was something to do with the plot but I'm not so sure now. I was trying to work out the shade (I think it's Russian Red FYI), but why was it in the film? Has Mac done an advertising deal with them? We'll never know. If this plot line was addressed, I apologise, but the whole thing was so dragged out and long, and the ending so wild that it's easy to miss.
As a side note I think it was quite sexualised in a weird way too, even in scenes where men and women were naked suspended in water (see: poster), all the lads have got pants on and the lasses are starkers - I feel like nudity was just added in so they could call it an 18 and it may sell more tickets.
I feel like I've been chatting for ages now.
The film was interesting in parts, and the main plot line was quite captivating. I didn't find it particularly scary, or jumpy, and when I left, the person behind me said 'I'm not sure what to make of it', and that's how I felt. I did make it through all 2hrs 26 mins, which means it can't of been completely boring, but I'd give it 5/10 at a stretch. I have seen worst films but I can think of lots more things I can do with 2.5 hours.
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