Benediction Review: Terence Davies' Siegfried Sassoon Biopic Soars & Surprises
In period dramas, sexual repression is frequently depicted as a dangerous secret that could lead to death. This is especially true when military personnel are engaged, and fear for one's life is clearly a factor in Benediction. The gay characters in this world, on the other hand, survive with sheer confidence and outward power. Terence Davies, the writer-director, may have used a few too many historical cameos, but he still manages to make every performance in the picture one that fans can't look away from. Both his writing and directing take place in a world populated by the late poet Siegfried Sassoon. Benediction is delicate, deliberate, and full of traditional english poetry that fits beautifully with WWI discovered film.
When Siegfried Sassoon joins the war effort, he quickly transitions from a soldier to a conscientious objector. The words he would write in the letter to his commanding commanders would serve two purposes: they would send him to a psychiatric facility and they would cement his career as a poet. His time as an inpatient has more benefits than drawbacks. In such a black-and-white environment, he meets other like-minded people, not just as lovers, but also as people eager to look outside the box. His roommate and therapist are both quite helpful in his development. Many of the people Siegfried formerly loved have died by the time he is eligible to leave, but for the first time, he is completely free.
The script emphasises the men's bond with one other rather than the world's interaction with them, which is a strength. When one of Lowden's ex-girlfriends says, "Friends come and go, enemies are always faithful," he is referring to issues of self-hatred in the LGBT community rather than homophobia. Benediction distinguishes itself from other films in the genre in these discussions.
Benediction is a slow-moving yet planned process. Every performance is greater than the last, and a number of recognisable celebrities are giving their greatest performances yet. Davies' aesthetic isn't flashy, and the found footage doesn't feel stupid; rather, it feels immediate. The film sets out to carry out a plan and does so flawlessly. Benediction manages to elicit a great deal of emotion from a primarily technical feat.
When Siegfried Sassoon joins the war effort, he quickly transitions from a soldier to a conscientious objector. The words he would write in the letter to his commanding commanders would serve two purposes: they would send him to a psychiatric facility and they would cement his career as a poet. His time as an inpatient has more benefits than drawbacks. In such a black-and-white environment, he meets other like-minded people, not just as lovers, but also as people eager to look outside the box. His roommate and therapist are both quite helpful in his development. Many of the people Siegfried formerly loved have died by the time he is eligible to leave, but for the first time, he is completely free.
The script emphasises the men's bond with one other rather than the world's interaction with them, which is a strength. When one of Lowden's ex-girlfriends says, "Friends come and go, enemies are always faithful," he is referring to issues of self-hatred in the LGBT community rather than homophobia. Benediction distinguishes itself from other films in the genre in these discussions.
Benediction is a slow-moving yet planned process. Every performance is greater than the last, and a number of recognisable celebrities are giving their greatest performances yet. Davies' aesthetic isn't flashy, and the found footage doesn't feel stupid; rather, it feels immediate. The film sets out to carry out a plan and does so flawlessly. Benediction manages to elicit a great deal of emotion from a primarily technical feat.