Je T'aime Amour

It was with an equal measure of delight and surprise that I read of  'Amour's' nomination for the prestigious 'best picture' Oscar. Delighted because 'Amour' is the best film I've seen in an age, since.... well, the same director's 'Cache' in 2002. And it might even be better than that. Surprised because it is a rare thing for a foreign language movie to be nominated for Hollywood's main prize - a cynic could argue that the Academy created the token 'best foreign film' award in 1947 so it didn't need to worry about Johnny Foreigner gate-crashing the big party.  It's rarer still for such a serious film, one that deals with old age and death, to be acknowledged.

'Amour' is only the 9th foreign film ever to be nominated in the award's 90 year history and is a film like none of the recent, unsuccessful, nominees: 

Life Is Beautiful (1997) - serious topic, but schmaltzy. Very Hollywood. Jim Carrey would probably star in the remake.

                                             

Il Postino (1994) - see above. Added pathos of star's posthumous death. Very very Hollywood. 

                                          

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) - the highest grossing foreign film ever in America. Less an arthouse movie than a computer game with fortune cookie philosophy. Balletic, slow-mo violence was hugely in vogue at the time - see The Matrix.

So, realistically, what are 'Amour's' chances?

It ticks a number of boxes:

Critically acclaimed director who's previously paid his dues and now 'come in from the cold'?  Tick.

'Worthy' but universal topic? Tick 

Accessible to English speaking masses? Tick

Brilliant lead performances? Tick

Add to that the paucity of other great films amongst the nominees.

Of course Speilberg's 'Lincoln' is the overwhelming favourite. 

Academy award winning director? Tick

Academy award winning actor? Tick

Biopic of American Icon? Tick

It's  almost like an identikit 'best picture' on paper - but is it too obvious?

There is something beautifully ironic about 'Amour's' director, Michael Haneke, receiving this award and a best director nomination. I'm struggling to think of a more esoteric, intellectual, more European, figure in cinema history -  the very antithesis of a Hollywood hack.  It's like Solzenitzyn being the frontrunner for the Richard and Judy book club award.  Or  Scott Walker beating Olly Murs to best male solo artist at this year's Brits.

It's even more ironic when you consider that Haneke's 'Funny Games' was an explicit attack on Hollywood's fascination with ultra violence and exploitation.  A joke well made, but one that missed its target, precisely because most Americans wouldn't ever watch a 'foreign' film. Aware of this Haneke  re-told the joke, almost shot for shot, in English with an American cast and setting. And judging by the youtube 'comments' a lot of people still don't get the joke.

'Amour' is a different beast altogether, compared to Haneke's other self-consciously arty movies.  It has a serene simplicity, an Ozu like quality.  It's tremendously moving but never tugs at the heartstrings in an obvious way.  In truth it's surely far too subtle to win the big prize against such a flag-waving patriotic heavyweight as Speilberg's 'Lincoln'.

But then who'd have thought a silent movie would be last year's winner? 

Maybe, just maybe, Hollywood is finally growing up.