THE AGE OF INNOCENCE is as much about what is unspoken as KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON. Where KILLERS deals with an unspoken murderous racist conspiracy, INNOCENCE explores the unspoken labyrinth of social rules, mores, and traditions in which Newland Archer (Daniel Day-Lewis) eventually becomes trapped. Scorsese portrays a world in which every dinner table is a battleground and devastating social violence is enacted through declining an invitation. Michelle Pfeiffer is terrific as someone who deliberately eschews all the ritual and tradition but there’s a quiet power to Winona Ryder’s performance that only becomes apparent towards the end. Her blankness throughout is starkly brought into contrast in the scene where the power dynamics between May and Newland are flipped in an instant and the scene is wonderfully choreographed to assert her character’s dominance by having her kneel before Newland.
film reviews as long as the films
20969 words / mins total