This might be the most straightforward of the “Decalogues.” And, although it isn’t the most sad, for some reason I found it incredibly depressing. Even before I knew what was going on — just looking at the film shot me with a gallon full of dread and malaise. I can’t explain it. (People are weird. My friend James once told me that if he ever hears one of those Dionne Warwick/Burt Bacharach songs on the radio he nearly vomits from depression. Go figure.) Maybe it was because they dress the lead actress up like Liv Ullman and they were going for a Bergman thing, who knows? Indeed, this film is more Bergmanesque than the other “Decalogues.” A big sister kidnaps her little daughter away from an overbearing mother and then announces that she is actually her real mother. (Did you know the same thing kinda happened to both Eric Clapton and John Lennon?) Anyway, there’s a lot of yelling, sleuthing and finally a showdown at a train station. Sounds thin, but it is well done.
