Plot: What’s it about?
After being badly beaten in an alley, Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg) is rescued by Seligman (Stellan Skarsgard). Joe insists he doesn’t alert the authorities or call an ambulance. He takes her back to his place, and it’s here that she begins to tell him erotic stories from her very early life to the present. We learn how she was always curious about her sexuality, and she started very early on. We learn how she always identified more with her father, played by Christian Slater. Volume 1 is the version reviewed here and that’s because it was decided (likely at the insistence of the studio) to be broken into two parts. It was originally shot as one movie. The film is broken into chapters and has subtitles and images throughout that usually give an idea of what we’re seeing at that moment. This is essentially how the movie goes – Joe narrates and Seligman questions her from time to time.
Having seen only the first volume, I can honestly say that I have little interest in seeing more. This is a very divisive film, and likely a love-it-hate-it affair. I really can’t see too many people falling anywhere between those extremes. I was never bored by Joe’s endless misadventures, but I can’t say that I wanted to see more. It simply didn’t do much for me. I have no problem with the content itself, but I found myself strangely detached from most of it. That might be expected when viewing a film about a self-diagnosed nymphomaniac, but I had little empathy for Joe. Still, the film is reasonably interesting, and will certainly provoke deep discussions with a lot of viewers after they’ve seen it. Volume 1 ends on a cliffhanger, so you might want to have the second volume readily available in case you’re anxious to see how the story concludes. The end credits include several clips of what to expect from the second volume. That acts as a kind of fun teaser.
Video: How’s it look?
The image is fine here, but not overly flashy. It’s also not that kind of film. Colors seem a bit muted, but this might be intentional. There’s also a bit of archival footage and imagery, so expect that to not look up to par with the main feature. Some of the flashback sequences are in black and white, but the print remains clean and details are always strong and consistent. This transfer is AVC encoded with a 2.35:1 ratio. Fans will be pleased.
Audio: How’s it sound?
The DTS HD track is also satisfying. There’s a lot of loud music and various other things throughout the track, and things add up for a nice experience, overall. There’s a lot of dialogue, especially since Joe narrates the entire story, but vocals are always clear and strong. The volume constantly shifted throughout the film, so you might want to have the remote handy as some moments are considerably louder than others. This track will satisfy.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- The Characters – This is a brief (9 minute) feature that provides some nice interviews with some of the cast. They do a lot of explaining who the characters are, and why they do the things they do. It’s worth checking out.
- AXS TV: A look at Nymphomaniac – Essentially plays out like an extended trailer.
- Previews
