Reviews

Yes is possibly the most beautiful film I have ever seen.

Sally Potter began work on this film on September 12, 2001. The impact of the previous day's events can be felt throughout the film as He and She try to make sense of their lives and discuss both the meaning of life and the world around them.

Told in rhyming couplets, the comparison to Shakespeare is natural. Potter claimed that she would be thrilled if even one line of hers was as good as the Bard's. I believe much of her work is on par with his. The text is both witty and intelligent and addresses a plethora of modern day issues of conscience. The iambic pentameter flows very naturally throughout the film and is never a distraction - only a credit to the abilities of the writer! As with any Shakspearean production, the feelings and inner turmoil of the main characters are central.

The cinematography is excellent. The film is simply beautiful to watch and behold. As if the images were not enough, the music provides a perfect complement to all that goes on on screen.

Go see this movie. It is unlike any other. Everyone shines!

Conflict is the theme of this movie: the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the acceptance of gay men by heterosexual men and young Germans with their country's history. The storyline, set in modern-day Turkey, Israel and Germany, is intriguing though I found the final scene unnecessary until the producer explained that it was added to give Israeli audiences a sense of hope for the future.

The representation of German culture was quite accurate: young Germans cannot identify with their grandparents' experiences during the second world war.

What started out as a very promising film became a bit too stereotyped in the end: while there has be a rise in neo-Naziism in Germany, attacks in the subway are rare (especially in cosmopolitan cities like Berlin); having a German grandfather who lived in exile in Argentina is also fairly atypical - more realistic would have been a grandfather who could not understand/identify with the youth or who completely agreed with the youth and struggled with his own past.

The use of language throughout the film is very realistic and the English text is direct and simplistic. The characters can be forgiven for their language abilities since English is their second language. However, the simplicity and moralistic tone are a bit patronizing for an English-speaking audience.

Walk on Water is an entertaining movie that will encourage you to consider conflicts from a variety of viewpoints.