For the record, I have faithfully and joyously suffered through Lars von Trier films for many years. All this time, the filmmaker has been doing horrible, brutal things to women on screen in the name of art – and for all these years, I haven't taken offense.
First came "Breaking the Waves." I wept when selfless Bess, played by miraculous newcomer Emily Watson, died after being horribly beaten when she selflessly tried to save her husband's life.
Next came "Dancer in the Dark." The film felt manipulative, but I was hooked into the story, the setting, the music. I cried again when Selma (Björk, in a dazzling performance) took that long, terrifying walk to the the gallows.
"Dogville" was set on a soundstage. The narrative was so rich that it was easy, even thrilling, to fill in the gaps. The dogmatic filmmaker was taking on nothing less than America--the misbegotten arrogance and eventual cruelty of the "good" people of Dogville seemed to mirror George W. Bush's fervent need to wage war in order to spread peace and democracy. "Dogville" was an exceptionally timely and enthralling film.
But now, with "Manderlay," von Trier has finally lost me. He has made an avid fan feel tired and abused. Why must the director ill-treat his female protagonists in order to tell a story? A sequel to "Dogville," "Manderlay" begins, again, with Grace. Poor, poor Grace. Nicole Kidman dropped out of the role, but young, fresh Bryce Dallas Howard heroically steps in--just in time for her punishment. And over the course of 139 long minutes she gets it: mentally, physically, spiritually, you name it.
