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Brownian Movement: Obscurity Unexplained
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Brownian Movement: Obscurity Unexplained “Brownian Movement” is a Dutch/German/Belgian film by Dutch film maker Nanouk Leopold that uses Brownian motion as a metaphor for apparently obscure human motivation and sexual desire. Brownian motion explains the movement of particles caused by collision with and bombardment by other particles suspended in a fluid. Brownian motion was observed by botanist Robert Brown even though he could not demonstrate what caused it. In 1905 Albert Einstein explained that the movement proved the existence of atoms and molecules which although unseen could be inferred by their action upon other molecules and particles. Charlotte (Sandra Huller) is a doctor married to Max (Dragan Bakema) living in Belgium. They have a young and lead what appears to be a normal and satisfactory middle class life. Max is a construction superintendent and the family lack for nothing materially as well as appearing as fulfilled as any young couple might be. Charlotte’s family life makes its first appearance with her reading to her and then making love with Max. Nothing looks off or wrong here. Charlotte must surely be content. But in the opening scenes we watch Charlotte renting an apartment, paying cash, from a realtor who is largely peripheral to the scene. The apartment mirrors Charlotte herself, spacious and light, very fair and if not antiseptic or stark still spare and plain. It is light and airy. She wanders the apartment in a flowered robe, lying on the bed and stretching out in the sun that floods the space with clear bright light. Charlotte brings patients of hers to the apartment and has a series of sexual trysts there, first with a large and very hairy man, next with a bland and bald bearded man who never disrobes and pleasures her with his fingers. Later there is a scene where Charlotte is lying face down on a fur rug. After a long interval a man two or three times her size slowly approaches her from behind and mounts her. The scene ends like this. The encounters are not filmed in slow motion but are acted in slow motion. There is no dialogue. She does not talk to her partners, nor they to her. The scenes are erotic and sensual without being prurient. At one point Charlotte studies the hairy man’s back in a long and slow, almost halting way, finally reaching ever so deliberately out to stroke just the hair on his back. This is as close to the sex act as we’re allowed. Actual<b> copulation </font></b>is inferred rather than seen. The most explicit sex portrayed with her secret partners is when she is masturbated by the bearded man. Even in this case the action is subdued and the passion implicit in the act is, while not hinted, very soft and sensual, subtle and quiet- hushed. Because of the sparsity of motion the least movement or touch takes on an electric significance that’s all the more powerful. There is no wasted energy here. Its erotic power is understated and portrayed without extravagance. The only jarring scene in the movie occurs when Charlotte encounters the bearded man at her husband Max’s worksite, again all the more powerful and frightening when juxtaposed with the emotional restraint of the rest of the film. Charlotte closes the scene curled up on the floor, unconscious. It’s in this way that Max discovers her infidelity- with Charlotte unconscious, itself a metaphor for her behavior. In a therapy session with Charlotte, Max has the questions that any husband would have. He wants details. He wants to know everything. He wants to know why, what she is lacking, what he himself is lacking, but instead of a frenzy of jealous rage he is simply flummoxed and visibly saddened at their loss and is groping to know what has happened and why. When asked by the therapist Charlotte can only answer that she doesn’t know how she is supposed to feel, that she might say more but knows it will only make matters worse. She cannot really explain herself. Charlotte loses her medical license and the couple move to India when Max takes on a construction project there. They try to make a fresh start but they bring their past with them. Max is unable to put the incidents behind him and it’s driven by the mystery of his wife’s infidelity. He is never to know or at all understand what has caused his wife to seek something outside their marriage, or what that something is. Charlotte is still driven to search out sensuality in her life. She frequents a huge building above the Ganges and lies fully clothed in the sun, on the hard stone terrace. Max at one point follows her to find her meditating in an out of the way corner of that same building. Since he doesn’t know what drives Charlotte he can’t find a way to come to grips with it. He can’t fathom what drives her and she offers nothing to him that might help. She is with him- this should be enough. But not knowing is a torture for Max. Paternalism and the double standard in our culture doom Charlotte to an estrangement that a man would likely find easier. There is a special hell on earth reserved for women who are overtly sexual and even more for a woman who defies explanation. The sexual drives of human beings of either sex are difficult to explain, and “Brownian Movement” does not explain them. We can infer that there are forces acting on Charlotte and she is unable or unwilling to trust her own articulation of why she needs what she does. Charlotte is as unemotional and mute in her reaction to being found out as she is in the encounters themselves. There is a mystery to being human that is often unknown and unknowable, and our yearnings defy explanation or expiation in the same way that Charlotte does. Her urges are ours and are as difficult for many of us as the characters in “Brownian Movement”. Knowing is a thing without words, outside of language, that can’t be verbalized in the jargon of modern psychology but can only be triangulated on in poetry or song but never reached. Charlotte lives, breathes and feels. Why should she not have that? “Brownian Movement” is ponderous without being slow and is like a painting in its absence of discourse and meager use of language. No attempt is made to preach or analyze. You can sink into it and let go, letting its both sensual and sensuous imagery wash over you. Be careful not to overthink it. Become a member now and get a free tote bag. |
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Hello my lovely man. I will look for this movie. I think it would suit my mood You cannot conceive the many without the one.
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Hello wicked. It's nice of you to drop by. It was getting dusty in here- please excuse the mess. If it were warmer I'd open a couple of windows and fire up a leaf blower. The feminism of this film struck me fairly quickly. Our reactions to women who stray are very often harsher than when the culprit is male, although that's changing in spite of the backlash from flat earthers. It would be easy to condemn a spouse of either sex for breaking a vow and the implied dishonesty of it, but we very often don't understand ourselves let alone our spouses, and certainly we can't read the minds of people we know less well. Judgement is a cruel thing. But life can seem cruel in so many ways. We have to make sure we really know what we think we know. I think that quite often we haven't got a clue. This film is pertinent to a spouse of either sex, but it's especially poignant when the misunderstood one is a woman. Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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Thank you very much! I was prepared in the very early going while watching this to switch it off but that would have been, if not a tragedy, at least my great loss. This film is the antithesis of an action/adventure flick and for that alone I loved it. (I nearly always hate action movies.) It moves slowly and delicately and resists any urge to titillate. It's thought provoking and ...ponderous. Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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Thank you! This is far from a mindless movie. Indeed, in the sense of mindfulness, as in meditative awareness, this film epitomizes that. Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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So that's a thumb's up then, huh? Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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I am catching up on two seasons of The Detour, you have to look for it Bill. It's funny, a family comedy, very sexed up, raunchy and lowbrow, but I think it would be right up your alley. Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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I am intrigued Bill. I have never heard of the film but I think I would enjoy watching it....thanks for the heads up.  ~~Anais Nin~~
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I am intrigued Bill. I have never heard of the film but I think I would enjoy watching it....thanks for the heads up. Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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I love your description ... does it come in a book? I enjoy reading thought provoking material but movies are my escape from thinking and so I prefer the action films. Opportunity may knock only once, but temptation bangs on the door forever!
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I love your description ... does it come in a book? I enjoy reading thought provoking material but movies are my escape from thinking and so I prefer the action films. Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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Bonjour Kzoopair Tout d'abord bon retour ça me fait plaisir de lire à nouveau ton blog, j'espère que tout va bien chez toi. Je n'ai jamais essayé de comprendre pourquoi quand l'envie me prend je vais draguer dans la dune pour me faire enculer par tout les mecs que je rencontre Je pense que ça ma coûterait cher en thérapie ♥ Poton ♥ Bisou ♥ Annie ♥ Hello Kzoopair First of all good back it makes me happy to read again your blog, I hope that all go well at home. I never tried to understand why when the envy takes me I go dredge in the dune to be fucked by all the guys I meet I think it would cost me ery money a lot as a therapy ♥ Kiss ♥ Annie ♥
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The human mind is both fascinating and perplexing. The movie sounds intriguing. I may have to give it a look. Thanks for sharing. Glad to see you blogging again. xoxo, -L
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This film is now on my to-watch list. It's great you're back blogging!  
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Bill you have been missed with your excellent posts. Loved it hugs V Become a blog watcher sweet_vm
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Bonjour Kzoopair Tout d'abord bon retour ça me fait plaisir de lire à nouveau ton blog, j'espère que tout va bien chez toi. Je n'ai jamais essayé de comprendre pourquoi quand l'envie me prend je vais draguer dans la dune pour me faire enculer par tout les mecs que je rencontre Je pense que ça ma coûterait cher en thérapie ♥ Poton ♥ Bisou ♥ Annie ♥ Hello Kzoopair First of all good back it makes me happy to read again your blog, I hope that all go well at home. I never tried to understand why when the envy takes me I go dredge in the dune to be fucked by all the guys I meet I think it would cost me ery money a lot as a therapy ♥ Kiss ♥ Annie ♥ I think there are people who can go where their nature takes them and not be in agonies of reflection about it, even though they may be completely inscrutable to those close to them. And as well there are people who are too frightened and reticent to make an unconventional move. I have sympathy for both but a sort of special admiration for the former. Il est bon de vous revoir aussi, Annie. Je pense qu'il y a des gens qui peuvent aller là où leur nature les prend et ne pas être dans une agonie de réflexion à ce sujet, même s'ils peuvent être complètement insolubles pour ceux qui sont proches d'eux. Et aussi, il y a des gens qui sont trop effrayés et réticents à faire un mouvement peu conventionnel. Je suis sympathique pour les deux, mais une sorte d'admiration particulière pour le premier. Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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The human mind is both fascinating and perplexing. The movie sounds intriguing. I may have to give it a look. Thanks for sharing. Glad to see you blogging again. xoxo, -L Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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This film is now on my to-watch list. It's great you're back blogging! Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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Bill you have been missed with your excellent posts. Loved it hugs V Hugggggggs B Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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I watched it last night after reading your post as I wasn't very sleepy anyways. The movie was an interesting way to present the situation. People are interesting to peer into. Vive La Difference
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I watched it last night after reading your post as I wasn't very sleepy anyways. The movie was an interesting way to present the situation. People are interesting to peer into. Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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Sounds interesting. I might check it out. kk The observant make the best lovers, I may not do right, but I do write, I have bliss, joy, and happiness in my life, Kitkat Come check out my blog KItkat1415 check out this post by me Adventures In Body Grooming #39 April Topic Link: What Lies Beneath If April Showers Oh Bloody Hell What Kind Of Weather Turns Me On Bloggers Symposium 40
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There's actually some swimming in it.... Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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Obviously taste in movies is subjective- I like somewhat obscure art films. I think this one is unique in its simplicity, and its theme isn't buried in confusing symbolism. We aren't bombarded with analogies, so the film is quite straightforward. I hope you like it. Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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Sounds like a thought provoking movie for a Sat night...
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Sounds like a thought provoking movie for a Sat night... Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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