Writer/Director: Jane Campion
Starring: Anna Paquin, Holly Hunter and Harvey Keitel
‘A Powerful Period Piece’
Not many actresses in Hollywood possess the charisma of Anna Paquin. Ever since her rise to stardom in the 1990’s, Paquin has become a feminist icon. Whether it’s piano players, bold heroines or excellent comic-book figures, the actress has played several strong characters. Arguably, Paquin’s best strength as an actress is her subtlety. She’s often been one of those rare actresses with the ability to convey strong emotion through her expression without saying a single word. Through her abilities to portray heroines which audiences can easily relate to, Paquin has become a celebrated actress with immense value. Although she is best known for her role as Rogue in the X-Men franchise, she has proven she can play characters in a wide variety of genres. An actress with a powerful commitment to her craft, Paquin has become a beloved icon in entertainment. Throughout a long-lasting career, Paquin has made several unforgettable movies that are definitely worth talking about.
I’m a huge fan of Paquin and admire all the movies she has made in her career. However, “The Piano” is definitely my favourite. Ever since its release in 1993, Jane Campion’s film has stood the test of time as a masterpiece. Packed with breathtaking production design, engaging storytelling and phenomenal acting, one of the best period pieces ever made. At the centre of it all is a powerful performance by Anna Paquin, who portrays a young child seeking to care for a mute mother that can’t speak properly. Ultimately, what makes “The Piano” a masterpiece is its universal appeal. Unlike most movies about mute women, the movie tackles strong themes everyone would relate to. It delivers a captivating message about disability which would resonate with everyone. A mesmerizing period piece about mute women, there are many strong reasons why “The Piano” is a commemorated period piece worth seeing.
Set in 19th Century New Zealand, “The Piano” tells the story of a mute woman with a love for playing the piano. Holly Hunter embodies Ada McGrath, a mute Scottish woman embarking on a journey to find her identity. Ada is a silent woman that often has difficulty expressing her emotion. To cope with her disability, Ada relies on support of her resourceful daughter Flora (Anna Paquin). Flora is a smart young girl that has always shared a strong relationship with her mother whom she loves dearly. Together, mother and daughter embark on a journey to New Zealand for an arranged marriage to a suitor. Initially, Ada is excited by the prospect of getting married. However, Ada’s changes when she finds her husband is an aggressive man with a short temper. Trapped in a broken marriage, Ada begins to question whether she will overcome a disability causing damage. As all the odds are stacked against her favour, Ada begins to question whether she will ever overcome a frightening disability that causes her life to experience grave disaster.
Jane Campion has always been fascinated by the stories of conflicted women. A fantastic feminist filmmaker, Campion has often made engaging movies about women whose lives are in grave danger. Her award-winning film “Sweetie” captured rivalries between sisters facing tragedy. With “The Piano, however, the director created her first period piece about disability. It was the filmmaker’s first attempt capturing the barriers faced by mute women under intense pressures but she succeeded immensely. Campion effectively uses point of view shots to capture a mute woman seeking to find her identity. For instance, the POV shots elevate the beach arrival scene. During this short but impactful scene, Ada and her young daughter arrival on New Zealand. Point of view shots are tricky techniques to use in movies. As Steven Spielberg’s “Jurassic Park” claimed, POV shots elevate movies about scary park dinosaurs. Nevertheless, it works immensely in this movie. Using captivating visuals, Campion captures hardships that mute women are often facing.
Another admirable aspect of “The Piano” that merits appreciation is the production. From a technical perspective, the film is extremely well made. Campion effectively uses costumes to capture the transformation of a mute woman seeking to find identity. Throughout the film, Ada’s costumes became a strong symbol of her transformation. For instance, costumes elevate the music scene. During this intense scene, Ada has a tense confrontation with George (Harvey Keital) about her abilities to play pianos. One appreciates costumes that capture a character that audiences could relate to. Furthermore, the musical score is magnificent. Michael Nyman’s music is key to the success of the movie. It gives film a tense atmosphere capturing the heavy burden that piano players bear. Through bold production design, Campion captures the lives of mute women that decline.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “The Piano” is a movie about piano playing that’s compelling. The movie is beautifully written, and effectively uses sequences of silence to capture mute women that face a traumatic experience. Campion’s greatest strength as a screenwriter is her abilities to capture the tensions faced by mute women through silence. For instance, silence elevates the theatre performance scene. During this unforgettable scene, Ada expresses silence expressing astonishment at a theatre play performance. Through clever use of silence, Campion creates a strong mute women that audiences can easily relate to. Silence is a tricky technique to use in movies. As Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining” suggested, silence elevates shining horror films about isolation. John Krasinski’s “A Quiet Place” claimed that silence elevates horror movies about silent survival. Nevertheless, it works immensely in this movie. Through a spectacular screenplay, Campion captures the lives of commemorated mute women facing a price to pay.
One appreciates amazing performances.
Anna Paquin delivers one of her best career performances as Fora. In her first ever lead role, Paquin showcased a talent for portraying emotional children she hasn’t shown before. This is the actress unlike you have ever her before: intense, charismatic and emotional on her most memorable role. With mesmerizing expressions, she captures the angst, identity and trials of a young girl seeking to discover her identity. It’s a powerful performance by one of the most talented young actresses in the film industry today.
Holly Hunter is remarkable as a mute woman that engages in a doomed love affair causing disaster. It isn’t easy to play a mute woman engaging in a doomed love affair but she pulled it off successfully. Whether she is flirting with Baines or struggling to convey meaningful emotions without speaking, Hunter uses strong body language to create a strong portrait of a commemorated mute woman that’s engaging. It’s a role that gave the actress a rare chance to showcase strong emotional range that she hadn’t shown in her career. It’s a phenomenal performance from one of the most talented actresses working in Hollywood today.
The final, most notable standout in the cast js Harvey Keitel. As a man engaging in a doomed love affair, he brings tension to the movie.
Finally, “The Piano” will earn appreciation of everyone for capturing lives of mute women facing sorrow. Unlike most movies about mute women, it tackles strong themes everyone will relate to. It discusses strong themes including identity, grief and disability which everyone will relate to. It delivers a meaningful message on disability which would resonate with everyone. Therefore, “The Piano” is one of those rare films about mute women which everyone will adore.
Fans of Anna Paquin will definitely appreciate “The Piano” and so will movie-goers seeking thoughtful entertainment. A captivating period piece classic, it honours an actress that has built a legacy which is iconic.
Nearly 30 years following the release of a groundbreaking film about mute women with a passion for playing piano engaging in doomed love affairs that are frightening, it’s a riveting reminder of a commemorated actress that has built a lasting legacy earning a huge fan following for her abilities to portray compelling characters in captivating movies which are definitely without a single doubt worth celebrating.
5/5 stars
The Film Buff 