My fascination with Milcho Manchevski's films started with a small house music video in the late 80s. I reacted to that video with the thought 'gifted.' With Bikini Moon I found myself thinking 'master at work!' Milcho's films have always been visually sophisticated and a delight to watch, thoughtful--and inquisitive--like the director. With Bikini Moon, Milcho treats us to a kind of steely impressionism that so suits the film's New York setting. Steely, because the visual edges are hard--like New York concrete, but impressionistic because the psychology is heart-wrenching and its fine actors, oh-so vulnerable.
Bikini Moon's cinematography reminded me of Robert Altman's dialogue. While Altman makes his dialogue difficult to hear at times--forcing the audience to listen, the cinematography in Bikini Moon makes one sit up and pay attention--it creates visual question marks and curiosity. The note I made to myself while watching this film on a Samsung camera (small screen!) was 'This Director of Photography is a genius!'
And that brings me to Condola Rashad. Just WOW. Rashad's performance is like that of Sean Penn's in The Falcon and Snowman--you never know what is going to happen next! The suspense she weaves is intense! The psychology of her behavior evokes Donnie Darko ambiguity and sophistication. Rashad brilliantly portrays the person who no longer reliably functions in society, yet whom friends and loved ones so badly wish to succeed. When Rashad is "on" everything is so right, and when things go haywire, entire worlds collapse. Meds can help, but side-effects crush the soul. Rashad walks us through that experience and takes Bikini Moon's entire wonderful cast through her hell.
The layers in this film are many. The acting is understated and sophisticated, the psychology rich and the visuals a gritty urban joy.
