Rose: A quiet, uneven look at someone's life

Is it worth the time?

If you like movies that feel like a dusty attic, then sure. Grab a tea. If you need a plot that moves at more than a snail's pace, stay away. This is definitely for the crowd that enjoys watching people just… exist in a room for a long time.

Tania Balachova is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. Sometimes it works, and sometimes she just looks like she’s waiting for the scene to end. I don't blame her. Some of these scenes just stretch on.

The rhythm is... weird.

There’s a moment about halfway through where she’s just staring at a tea cup. I think it lasted for an entire minute? Maybe more. It felt like the film forgot it was a film and turned into a painting. Awkward.

I couldn't help but compare it to Day Dreams, which at least had the decency to keep the camera moving once in a while. In Rose, the camera acts like it’s scared of the furniture.

Observations from the couch

• The lighting in the kitchen scene is inexplicably dark. Did they run out of bulbs?
• Henri Guisol’s mustache deserves its own billing, honestly.
• There's a door in the background of the hallway that squeaks every single time it opens. It started to drive me a little bit crazy.

It’s not as tightly put together as Bichon, but there’s an honesty to it that I didn't expect. It’s messy. It feels like someone just turned on a camera and let things play out without a script doctor smoothing over the edges.

I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either. It’s just... there. Like a piece of furniture you haven't decided to move yet. 🎞️