The Immortalized Moment
“The Immortalized Moment” is a foreign film that focuses on a couple after the girlfriend gets back from her work trip. Her boyfriend has been acting strange and she thinks something up, as you will too as you watch this film. This film explores what it means to trust somebody, what it means to be open, and what it means to be true to yourself.
Maddy comes home from her work trip to find a suspicious Daniel not acting himself. They get in a small argument and she eventually takes a nap trying to let the argument die. We follow Daniel as he has lunch with an old friend to get a traveling visa. We see him interact with a female counterpart and eludes us to believe that he definitely might be up to something. It doesn’t help that his friend says, “Tell Maddy.” Maddy eventually finds the visa and she wants the truth from him. Has he been cheating on her? What does this mean for her? There’s so much anger and frustration and I’m sure anybody who is in a current relationship can relate to this aspect to some degree.
What this film accomplishes is make these concerns legitimate and real. That’s what I felt through the whole thing. The chances of something like this coming up in a relationship at one point is pretty likely, even if you know the other person is being faithful. You can trust somebody and still doubt their intentions due to the lack of communication and being honest with yourself. It goes for both parties. And this film really does nail that aspect on the head.
Another thing I really liked is how a simple stranger can change the outlook of somebody just from a personalized story that can relate to what the person is currently going through. That’s what happens with Maddy when she meets an old man during her escape in the nightlife after a huge fight between her and Daniel. I love those moments in films because they do happen. Having a stranger do it frequently is unrealistic, but there’s always a moment in your life when some person you don’t even know, gives you advice and you take it. You run with it. And in a way it changes your outlook and inspires you to find a solution.
What really helps this film is the acting of the Maddy and Daniel. The actors both brought something to the table and hit out of the park with some believable performances. It’s always interesting to watch films from a different country try and tackle something that’s so global and common. What makes this one really interesting is seeing how Maddy and Daniel interact with one another and how they converse. It adds a nice touch to the film as a whole.
Overall, I liked what this film had to offer. I will say the ending caught me by surprise and it ends on a not so cynical note. If there are three things you can learn from this film it’s these: Trust your partner and most importantly yourself. Be open with one another and don’t hide things, especially when you hide from the truth. And most importantly what it means to be true to yourself.
