The Life Before Her EyesVadim Perelman’s second film as a director (after The House of Sand and Fog) is a beautifully shot and well-acted psychological drama with a third-act revelation that, while not the most novel of twists, admittedly left me in tears once I figured everything out.

The story, based on a book by Laura Kasischkle, focuses on how a woman (Uma Thurman) deals with the lingering effects of a horrible tragedy she experienced 15 years earlier as a rebellious teen (Evan Rachel Wood). The film switches back and forth between then and now.

Compared to Fog, which was essentially a battle about pride blown up to Shakespearian proportions, Life feels more intimate and real, though no less tragic. That’s especially evident in Wood’s beautiful performance. She’s an unruly girl who nonetheless, like any teen, contemplates what her future will be like. Thurman’s good, too, despite spending most of her screen time crying and freaking out.

Perelman moves his camera around with genuine elegance and, what’s more, knows how to compose shots that one could almost call visual poetry, be it Wood diving into a pool, a caterpillar on a leaf or Thurman reading a bedtime story to her daughter. Not to mention the beautiful opening credits, with an array of colorful flowers shifting in and out of focus.

Perelman also presents the life-changing event itself in an effectively disquieting way. That it recalls a real-life incident may unsettle some people even more.

The film does seem hard to follow at times, but it’s only after learning the nature of the twist that you might get a headache trying to understand what happened. Some won’t get it and will hate the film. Some will get it and feel cheated. Others, like me and, I hope, you, will get it and feel emotionally shaken and stirred. In a good way.

Drama/Thriller

Rated R

DVD Release Date: 8/19/08