If I am to look at this film objectively, I will
say that this is a very good film in the sense that
it accomplishes what it sets out to do.
 
Emily Watson did a great job as Bess McNeill in
portraying her as an innocent girl who falls in
love and ultimately sacrifices herself for her
love.  Perhaps Watson did too great a job.  For
much of the film Bess has the emotional maturity
of a 5 year old and her reaction to Jan going away
to work is that of a kid parting with her favorite
doll.  I am not even sure one can call what she and
Jan (the husband) had love.  We certainly don't
see much emotional connection or even adult
conversation between the two.  In fact, we don't see
anything going on between them other than sex.

As it is, Bess' character is not very interesting
(It is hard to portray a 5 year old with any complexity).
Towards the end, she did grow a bit, but not much.
The other characters fall into two groups, the sympathetic
and the judgemental--all one dimensional with one exception.
 
In relative terms, Jan is the only one who exhibits
some emotional complexity.  He is basically a good man.
After the accident, he is willing to let Bess
get on with her life.  Bess, of course, rejects
such a request.  So he conjures up a lie and tells Bess
that she should take up a lover for his sake.  However,
what started as a self-sacrificing gesture quickly
degenerates into perversity and ultimately let to Bess' death.
One sees how easily a person, especially someone in Jan's
condition, can fall.

On the technical side, I think it is a brilliant idea
to make the film feel like it is made on a hand held
video camera, especially with the wedding.  However,
it is a bad idea to do it for the entire
film--all 2 and half hour of it.  I developed a headache
after 90 minute of this.  No matter how great an idea,
it is self-defeating if it gives the viewer a headache
half way through.

Eugene Xia