The Lighthouse movie review

MOVIE TITLE: The Lighthouse
RATING: R
LENGTH: 1 hour, 49 minutes
Movie Review Mom GRADE: B+

IN A NUTSHELL:
While some people will be put off by the choice to film in bleak black and white, film lovers who enjoy artistry will be intrigued. It was shot on 35mm black and white Double-X 5222 film in order to look like the photography that was used back in 1890, when the story was supposed to take place. It was the perfect choice. Film critics and cinefiles will absolutely love the look and feel of this film. Almost every frame is a masterpiece.

Written by Max and Robert Eggers, this psychological drama takes you on an uncomfortable journey to insanity that is loosely based on a real-life story in 1801 about two Welsh lighthouse keepers, both named Thomas. It’s a nightmarish tale that may not be your cup of tea; however, no one can deny the skill and creativity.

I recently visited the oldest lighthouse in the state of Maine and learned a little bit about the history of lighthouses and their workers, so I was especially interested to see what insights this movie would provide.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Kids will be bored out of their minds. So will some adults.
• A man beats up and kills a seagull. No actual birds were harmed in the making of the movie. It was a rubber seagull.
• Some profanity, including F-bombs.
You hear a man fart several times. The sound was actually added in post-production.
You see a woman’s naked chest.
You see a man “pleasure himself”.
Lots of alcohol.
Some disturbing images.
Violence.

THEMES:

Perseverance
• Companionship
Sanity
Humanity

THINGS I LIKED:

• Both Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattison were absolutely fantastic in their roles. There could and should be Oscar nominations for their performances. It’s a good thing too, especially since they’re the only ones in the film. Well, you see a mermaid/woman in a few scenes played by Valeriia Karaman.

Both actors had reached out to director Robert Eggers because they loved his Indie movie The Witch so much. (I never saw it.)
Gorgeous camera angles and cinematography by Jarin Blaschke.
• Willem Dafoe’s toasts before meals always cracked me up. He had the best and most entertaining lines in the movie by far.
Apparently, filming was so brutal because of the harsh weather conditions that the actors hardly spoke to each other than their lines. They finished each day exhausted and rested in solitude until the next day.
The accent Pattinson used is an actual accent used in Maine. The film, however, was filmed in Nova Scotia.
The Eggers brothers spent a lot of purposeful time doing research to ensure the period piece was accurate in language, sounds, dress, and style.
Both Dafoe and Pattison used their real facial hair for the movie, although Pattison had to dye his blonde mustache. Dafoe wore prosthetics to make his teeth look so terrible.
There is a surprising amount of humor.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

• There’s no dialogue for over 7 minutes when the movie begins.
• That constant sound of the lighthouse foghorn was a bit annoying, but that’s how they really are.

The plot might confuse and bewilder most people because there really isn’t one. It’s basically an artsy-fartsy demonstration of the evolution of madness.
Six weeks isn’t that long. Of course, if I had to listen to that foghorn 24/7, I could sink into insanity too.
Sometimes the thick accents make it difficult to understand what’s being said.

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