Review

With a sweeping view of the vast Antarctic landscape, Michael Winterbottom’s controversial 9 Songs immediately establishes the fated sense of isolation felt by the central character, Matt (Kieran O’Brien). His surroundings, however, serve only as a symbol of remoteness and pain. The aching in his heart — Matt soon reveals — stems from his loss of Lisa (Margot Stilley), a 21-year-old siren with whom he recently traversed an intensely sexual and emotional affair.

Flashing back to a Black Rebel Motorcycle Club show in London, the origin of Matt and Lisa’s connection is revealed. A stylistic triumph, each stage of their developing and simmering affair is told with a corresponding performance (explaining the title) by various bands such as Franz Ferdinand, The Von Bondies and The Dandy Warhols. Not just reaffirming the actions of the primary characters, each song — too — helps to fill in the gaps and tell a more intuitive part of the story. Also as powerful — and what the film is primarily known for — are the elicit, unsimulated sex scenes. Not just a gratuitous or a gimmick, the sexual content is actually quite crucial as the filmmaker clearly believes that only through these extremely vulnerable exchanges that Matt and Lisa reveal themselves to one another, and to the audience.

With remarkable performances by the two primaries, and an impressive guerilla-like camera work from cinematographer Marcel Zyskind (a former camera operator for Lars von Trier), 9 Songs offers a new, and unflinching glimpse into the intense intimacy two people can share. Though it has earned its “controversial” badge, it is surely an accomplishment for courageous and unfettered cinema.