The Diving Bell
and the Butterfly

Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 1 hour, 52 minutes
Directed by: Julian Schnabel

Starring:
Mathieu Amalric - Jean-Dominique "Jean-Do" Bauby
Emmanuelle Seigner - Céline Desmoulins
Marie-Josée Croze - Henriette Durand
Anne Consigny - Claude
Max Von Sydow - Papinou

In our day of cynicism, is it possible to be life-affirming without being hokey? Is it possible to see a person overcome insurmountable odds without it feeling like a Hallmark made-for-TV movie? Is it possible to use unconventional film techniques without detracting from the story's honesty? It may be incredibly difficult, but The Diving Bell and the Butterfly proves that it is possible and that the achievement is massively rewarding.

In 1995, Jean-Dominique Bauby, editor of Elle magazine, suffered a cerebrovascular stroke at the age of 43 and was left with "Locked-In" syndrome where his mind functioned perfectly but he was only able to communicate through the blinking of left eye. It is in this unthinkable state that Bauby, a man who should be more like The Sea Inside's Ramón Sampedro who fought for thirty years to kill himself, finds a reason to live.

Mathieu Amalric is remarkable as Bauby and he is supported by three amazing actresses. But the film's real star is director Julian Schnabel. Trying to make this film is like walking along a tightrope made of dental floss. It's a movie about one false step away from complete failure and yet the movie's only real shortcomings are that he leads in with Bauby's specialized alphabet one too many times and the music could be a bit stronger. But these are minor detractions in such an amazing film.

The only thing as remarkable as Bauby's story is that the cinematic adaptation accurately conveys the honesty, inspiration, and emotion without a hint of cynicism or irony.

Words by
Matt Goldberg
12.5.07

Rating: 9.4 out of 10