"The Piano" is getting such uniform praise that I know this puts me in a distinct minority — in fact, maybe I'm alone. But despite elements that I found invigorating, most of the film left me cold.
Writer-director Campion, whose other features "Sweetie" and "An Angel at My Table" also garnered critical plaudits, is a unique filmmaker with a terrific visual sense, and "The Piano" offers some wonderfully structured eye candy.
But what makes this film most notable is Hunter's magnificent central performance, sure to make her a strong Oscar contender.
Hunter plays a mute from Scotland in the 19th century who has packed up her belongings — including her prized piano — and traveled with her young daughter to New Zealand's remote bush country, for an arranged marriage to a taciturn landowner (Sam Neill) whom she has never met.
In the film's early moments, Hunter and her daughter are taken from the ship by rowboat to the shore, where their crates of belongings are set down on the beach. But Neill is not there to meet them, and they are forced to spend the night.
Naturally, the tide comes in and some of the boxes are swept out to sea — but the piano stands, a tribute to Hunter's tenacity and the forum for her passion. Hunter's character chose to become mute as a child and she expresses herself almost exclusively through the piano, pounding out passionate melodies on the keys. (And yes, that really is Hunter playing.)
The next morning, Neill arrives, along with a group of local Maoris and an eccentric, illiterate (and tattooed) Englishman (Harvey Keitel) who lives among them. They carry Hunter's crates through the swampy, mud-laden terrain to Neill's home but are not able to bring the piano.
Neill promises to return for it later but instead he swaps the piano to Keitel for some land. Keitel, meanwhile, has an agenda. He is attracted to Hunter and coaxes her to come and play the piano at his home, then offers to sell it back to her — if she will submit to sexual favors.
Ultimately, Keitel admits his love for Hunter, which leads to tragedy and violence.
Imagery and performances aside (Keitel and Neill are also quite good), the problem here is an emotional distancing I could never overcome. The characters are cold, aloof and underdeveloped, and there was never any emotional or sympathetic connection. There are also a number of questions that are never addressed.
The sexuality here is also quite explicit, pushing the boundaries of the film's R rating. There is also some violence, profanity and quite a bit of nudity.