Julie Walking Home (2002)

"The Healer" is not an easy film, not by any stretch. It is the only drama which I've seen that keeps the same manic pace as a modern thriller. This energy brings a strange sensation to the film, a feeling of more and more happening in less and less time. For a running time of less than two hours, it's a incredibly draining story to absorb. The beginning does not give any hint to the end. What happens between is unexpected and effectively realized.I grew up watching Agnieszka Holland's film of "The Secret Garden". Since then, I've seen two others by her ("Europa Europa" and "Olivier, Olivier"), both of which I thought were largely inept and unimpressive efforts. But there's a quality of pace and human understanding on display here that very few directors could have achieved. From the magical imagination of children to the angst and alienation of the adults, she brings together characters and performances with a uniform brilliance.Miranda Otto has a voice of musical purity. Her personality carries the film, and could have done so alone, even if not supported so well by the other cast members. William Fichtner, Lothaire Bluteau, and Jerzy Nowak are each deeply convincing. The twins - played by Ryan Smith and Bianca Crudo, who've acted little or not at all since - are two of the most convincing depictions of children I've ever seen.The pace is what keeps "The Healer" together. It is somewhat high-spirited, and helped along by some beautiful music by Antoni Lazarkiewicz and Jacek Petrycki's energetic photography. I was fascinated with how he captured Halifax - a city I'm quite familiar with, but did not recognize until late. This is a film that can frustrating, engaging, and fascinating often at once. You're going to be left with questions, no doubts there. But if you can accept that, you should gain from the experience.

Unfortunately as soon as I saw that this was a partly Canadian production from the opening credits I very nearly turned it off; as most things than come out of there are either boring or pale and poor imitations of the USA. I should have switched off. This movie rambles along in all sorts of directions with no apparent reference to anything. Is it a film about a broken marriage, a love affair, a faith healer, a child terminally ill or what? Seems that even those making it...ain't got a clue and it gives the distinct impression of being made-up as it goes along. No one wants to be a critic...there are a few good scenes and good acting.....but I found the whole picture disorganized and dis-orientated with neither meaning or message.Even the title is daft. A generous 3 out of 10.

"Julie Walking Home" is about a woman coping with a rocky relationship with the father of her children, her son who has cancer and may or may not be healed by a faith healer, and her feelings for a man who believes he has mystical healing powers. Though the film's storyline is nothing new, the sheer reality of the drama, the wonderful performances Holland wrests from some relatively unknown actors, and Otto's tour-de-force makes this film eminently worthy. Not unlike "Behind the Red Door" (2002), "Hysterical Blindness" (2002), or "Unfaithful" (2002) this film is a "sleeper" which will be of greatest interest to the discerning drama enthusiast into film's about women in turmoil. (B+)

Life is complicated.There is no clear right or wrong.The deeds we hate on other people, may be done by us, when time comes. Humans don't always react in the most obvious ways.At many points in life, we have to make choices, where we gain something and we lose something. It is not usually obvious what choice is the best one.There is an ongoing tussle between heart and brain, the intellectual self and the emotional self, the worldly desire and larger than life desires... These are some of things I recall from my experience with the movie. It was indeed an experience. It was a very sensitive movie having complicated characters and their psychologies. It was one of those movies wherefrom anybody could take back anything that he/she relates to, more strongly. For example, one may think it was a movie about a woman's hypocrisies whereas others might that it was a movie on fighting till the last moment. Some might view it as justifying the supernatural. Its just how you view it.Although BASED ON A REAL LIFE STORY, and I never thought real life stories could be that surprising, its not the story that matters. Don't try to view the film based on the short story description. If you are into meaningful cinema which involves reflections from real life, a thought behind the movie, something that lets you ponder for quite sometime, this is the movie for you. And don't worry it will not be hard on you. Its softly told movie that will surely have an impact on you, positive or negative, who knows!