The Sweet Hereafter
As the film cut to black, I sat in my chair, stunned, wearing a stupid grin. As the credits rolled by, and the final song by Sarah Polley played out, I questioned the purpose of Atom Egoyan. Was he purposely trying to drive me crazy? After all, it took weeks for me to figure out all the little details and character connections in his last film, Exotica. And so, as vexing as his last outing was, I was determined to watch The Sweet Hereafter. After the film ended, I partially wanted to hit Egoyan for trying to make me think so much during a film. But mostly, I wanted to thank him for providing an experience that few films dare to share.
Few directors can do what Egoyan can do and successfully survive them. Egoyan's direction is far from linear, forcing time to be flexible (those of you probably know this type of style from Pulp Fiction). However, while Tarantino used time as more of a gimmick to stray from predictability, Egoyan uses it to further the emotional impact of his film. Exotica was a rather straight-forward film, in terms of time anyway. The Sweet Hereafter isn't straight-forward, and its intentions are never made clear until the final scene of the film, when the ultimate climax occurs.
The Sweet Hereafter pivots its story around a school bus which fatally veered off the road and plunged into a frozen lake, killing 14 children and injuring several others. The bus driver, Dolores (Gabrielle Rose), is left with bruises and broken bones, but more devastatingly, with a disturbed conscience. What happened on that bus that caused the experienced driver to slide off the road and into the lake? The answer never becomes apparent, and as the film ends, it's probably the one obvious question left unanswered. However, while it may seem important at first, the answer to the question becomes less and less vital as the story progresses. In the hands of a lesser director, the emotional level would have been lost in the quest for answers, and not more questions.
Shortly after the accident, a lawyer comes to Sam Dent, the small Canadian town. Mitchell Stephens (Ian Holm) is determined to find the person responsible for the accident and make him pay. Mitchell's search is fueled by his anger towards his young daughter Zoe (Caerthan Banks) who has run away from home, and yet continually calls him asking for money. Mitchell is disturbed by his daughter's dishonesty, and when he hears about the accident, he feels required to make whomever was responsible pay.
At first, everything appears normal, and that the accident was caused by a patch of ice on the road. But Mitchell can't believe that Dolores couldn't handle something like that, and he begins to believe that it was a flaw in the construction of the bus. After obtaining the services of several of the survivors, Mitchell begins to question the validity of Dolores' statement (she claims to have been going 50 miles per hour--her normal speed). After learning that a father of two children happened to be traveling behind the bus when it crashed, Mitchell decides to question him. Billy Ansell (Bruce Greenwood) states that Dolores was, in fact, going 50, just as she said. But there is something else bothering Billy, who won't take Mitchell's services, and advises the other parents to drop the law suit.
Mitchell's case takes a dramatic turn when Nicole Burnell (Sarah Polley), one of the survivors of the accident, agrees to testify. She became paralyzed from the waist down due to the accident, and is angry for many reasons. For one, Nicole was a talented singer, and the accident practically destroyed and dreams she may have had. Her resentment towards everyone fuels her passionate search for someone to blame. However, Nicole wasn't happy prior to the accident, mostly because of family troubles.
The Sweet Hereafter never deals with any easy subjects. What begins as a mystery turns into a social drama, and soon the film almost buckles under the weight of its dense plot. But by using his characters effectively, Egoyan carefully constructs a realistic portrayal of human behavior while coping with the tragic deaths of several children. Adapted from the novel of the same name, Egoyan has actually improved on it, shortening it from four different viewpoints to a complex web of mystery and intrigue. The different viewpoints are still present, but they are hidden by the film's fluid time line. The film mostly centers around Mitchell's search for answers, and the answers we are given aren't explained to us (proving once and for all that audiences are--surprise!--intelligent).
The film is definitely not without flaws, as with the main question left unanswered. After leaving the theater, I was still brooding over the possible answers, and none worked for me. I figured there must have been one correct answer, but the film doesn't really bother telling us. But some other problems exist in the acting and writing aspects. Caerthan Banks speaks her lines in an emotionless tone of voice, and she isn't convincing in any of her scenes. Also, the dialogue sometimes attains the level of ridiculousness, sounding like dialogue ripped out of a poorly made children's melodrama. But for the most part, the cast and screenplay are top-notch.
Ian Holm gives his best performance to date, as well as one of the best of the year. Despite his snub at the Oscars, Holm's subtle and quiet performance provides the film with a likeable character who has a lot of anger buried inside. This anger and determination may be helping the victims coop with the sadness, but it's tearing apart the very fabric that binds the community together. Holm deserved an Oscar nomination, and his snub was a bad decision on the Academy's part (I mean, they gave a nomination to Matt Damon over him?). The two other most fleshed out characters are portrayed by Bruce Greenwood and Sarah Polley. Greenwood gives a tremendously heartfelt performance that defies logic as his character goes against the grain. Polley, however, is an equal to Holm. Her powerful portrayal of the talented singer who is crippled in the accident is poignant and understated. Her character is probably smarter than most of the adults in the film. The rest of the cast is sufficient enough to support these three actors.
The Sweet Hereafter is rated R for language, sexuality and nudity. Director Egoyan (who was surprisingly awarded an Oscar nomination) has crafted a powerhouse film that goes against everything set as standard. The cinematography by Paul Sarossy captures the luscious and beautiful landscapes perfectly, creating an almost dreamlike setting. The music my Mychael Danna is haunting, with several of them sung by Polley herself. Russell Banks (who makes a guest appearance in the film) has stated that he is more than pleased with Egoyan's adaption of his novel, claiming that it is, in fact, better than his original version. The power and emotional content of the film is sure to gain repeat viewings, as the film takes a daring approach to its subject matter. Instead of forcing the audience to care with what's going on, Egoyan takes an objective look at the events. As the bus plummets of the road and into the lake, the camera stays far back, making it seem even more terrifying. This is definitely one of the best films of 1997.