The themes of life and death and brilliantly elaborated through breath and suffocation. It is no accident that the film name is "Breathing".
Through the use of recurring themes to elaborate on psychological drama this movie strongly reminded me of the also very good "Don't Look Now" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069995/ where red, the color of blood, water and fall are in a constant interplay with the ideas of life, death and sorrow.
In this case breathing means life, and deep in the swimming pool is the perfect place to evade from it, to leave it outside. By spending a good deal of time there you can quit life for good. But no.
This young taciturn boy, who for the lack of meaningful ties contacts didn't learn how to express himself, carries on. It is the power of the indomitable human spirit that in spite of mounting difficulties and tons of hesitation doesn't quit.
He was raised in an orphanage and the lack of support is there to be seen almost every time. It is there when he is deep down in the pool, or when he cries. Boys don't cry, even more so in prison.
He has to make amendments. He does time for killing a boy - who was trying to suffocate him - and also his mother he only gets to know aged 19.
It is a lot to do for something lacking the proper tools, but intentionally or not, the work at a mortuary helps him deal with his own suicidal impulses and the death he caused.
It is an overall sad movie, but also an inspiring one about how life can prevail. Kroger, the boy, speaks very little through this piece but that doesn't make his acting any less convincing or expressive. Thumbs up for the director, too, who pull a seamless and very aesthetic work.
Through the use of recurring themes to elaborate on psychological drama this movie strongly reminded me of the also very good "Don't Look Now" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069995/ where red, the color of blood, water and fall are in a constant interplay with the ideas of life, death and sorrow.
In this case breathing means life, and deep in the swimming pool is the perfect place to evade from it, to leave it outside. By spending a good deal of time there you can quit life for good. But no.
This young taciturn boy, who for the lack of meaningful ties contacts didn't learn how to express himself, carries on. It is the power of the indomitable human spirit that in spite of mounting difficulties and tons of hesitation doesn't quit.
He was raised in an orphanage and the lack of support is there to be seen almost every time. It is there when he is deep down in the pool, or when he cries. Boys don't cry, even more so in prison.
He has to make amendments. He does time for killing a boy - who was trying to suffocate him - and also his mother he only gets to know aged 19.
It is a lot to do for something lacking the proper tools, but intentionally or not, the work at a mortuary helps him deal with his own suicidal impulses and the death he caused.
It is an overall sad movie, but also an inspiring one about how life can prevail. Kroger, the boy, speaks very little through this piece but that doesn't make his acting any less convincing or expressive. Thumbs up for the director, too, who pull a seamless and very aesthetic work.