Rank: 2/5
There is a lot of flash and polish in the newest Christian Bale film, but, in the end, the movie isn’t as impressive as it thinks it is.
“Knight of Cups” is the third installment of an unofficial trilogy by director Terrence Malick.
Rick (Bale) is a successful screenwriter living in Los Angeles. He has lost all sense of purpose in his life and wanders the streets of LA in hopes of finding a glimpse of meaning.
The film has eight chapters; some offer glimpses of the events that turned him into a broken man, while others look to the future and suggest he finds meaning after falling in love with a woman who “set him free.”
If you are a fan of Malick’s work, you will be familiar with the tropes of his style. However, if you are unaware of his films, including “The Tree of Life,” “Thin Red Line” and “Days of Heaven,” this film will scare you away from ever approaching another of his flicks. Die hard fans will find things to love, but newcomers will probably be confused as to why it takes such a long time for not much to happen.
On the good side, the film deals with an incredibly dysfunctional family. We slowly learn about different events which have torn it apart. The moments of interaction are heartbreaking and feel entirely genuine.
It is clear that “Knight of Cups” is an incredibly layered film. It would take several viewings to break down what everything really means.
On the downside, the movie doesn’t seem interested in making us interested in the story. There really is not much of a story going on. Technically, the film is exquisite and there are sequences which give viewers small amounts of insight into the story taking place, but those sequences are never anything more than passing moments.
In the end, “Knight of Cups” is a collection of beautifully shot moments in the life of a depressive celebrity who is trying to discover what it all means. But, somewhere in this film, there is a marvelous narrative somewhere in this film that is dying to get out.