At once poetic, human and beautiful, painter-turned-film director Julian Schnabel's latest is a moving, intimate look into the life of French Elle"" editor Jean-Dominique Bauby (Mathieu Amalric), who suffered a stroke which left him paralyzed except for one eye.
Once a debonair, vital man of fashion and wealth, Bauby finds himself resigned to bed and communicates to his speech therapist (Anne Consigny) by blinking to indicate letters of the alphabet. He decides to dictate his memoir, and with the help of Henriette (Marie-Josée Croze), manages to complete an emotional account of his tragic condition - known as locked-in syndrome - and the life he can now only relive in memories. He compares his stasis to being locked inside a diving bell beneath the sea, while his imagination is a butterfly, free to go anywhere in the world. While this dictation is underway, Bauby's three children visit along with their lovely, caring mother, Celine, who Bauby left for a now-conspicuously absent lover.
What could be a depressing, slow film is instead a captivating journey thanks to the talent of Schnabel and cinematographer Janusz Kaminski, as well as the affecting, realistic portrayals of the actors, especially Amalric and Seigner. The film's opening scenes immediately draw in the audience to Bauby's condition by filming from his hazy, limited point-of-view, allowing the viewer to see the world through his eyes and to hear his internal thoughts. When the film leaves this first-person point-of-view, it brilliantly shows the outside world, the colorful sensations of Bauby's intense, vivid dreams, and the ravaged state of this imperfect but soulful man.
The viewer sees Bauby working out with physiotherapists, pushed around slumped over in a wheelchair, and out to the beach with his family, unable to interact physically but overwhelmed with emotion. This provokes enormous empathy without resorting to manipulation, exploitation or false moments. The audience feels as if they have lived several lifetimes with this character, seeing, hearing and remembering with him.
The cast's acting is stellar, from the stirring but never melodramatic lead performances by Amalric and Seigner to the warm portrayal of Bauby's father by Max von Sydow, as well as the charming, touching performance of Laurent (Isaach De Bankolé), who faithfully visits Bauby.
Schnabel serves the material admirably, showing restraint throughout while conveying all the tragedy, humanity and finally, inspiration of Bauby's life. Schnabel wisely chose to film in French with a French cast in the very hospital where the real -life Bauby stayed. By far his best film, after the uneven ""Basquiat"" and the impressive ""Before Night Falls,"" Schnabel proves himself a uniquely gifted director with ""Diving Bell."" It is an unusually intimate and artistic film, one that is sobering, moving and ultimately triumphant, leaving this viewer feeling fulfilled and hopeful.
