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Jasminum (2006) Reviews

Jasminum is a sweet, aromatic fairytale about love

bc2282007-01-29

Jasminum The film is about love: primarily about love or love relationship between a man and a woman. The viewer is gradually introduced first to Patricia's unrequited love to the movie star, and as the story unfolds, also to Jasmina's tragic love story with one of the monks, and finally the unhappy love story of Natasza, the main character. And the movie is about love in a more general sense, or similar feelings between human beings: exemplified in the unusual friendship between the little girl Genia and Brat Zdrówko (Brother Sanitas), or Natasza's friendship with Patricia. Although the topic seems rather trite, "Jasminum" does a good job making it interesting by presenting it in the form of a fairytale for adults. The voice-over narration by a child and the waltz music mainly played by piano set the fairytale atmosphere. Jan Jakub Kolski, the director, obviously has a penchant for light, melodious but slightly sad waltz, as he made use of such music in his previous work "Pornografia (2003)." The difference is that in Pornografia the music is partially diegetic, while in "Jasminum" it is completely non-diegetic. This is because in "Pornografia" the music directly relates to the main character's tragic past. In "Jasminum," on the other hand, the waltz mostly accompanies the young narrator's voice-over, helping to set the atmosphere: tragicomic, sad and comforting at the same time. When doing so, the music also functions as a separator between stages of the plot development, or a symbolic "curtain" between "acts" of the film. As in "Pornografia," tragic love story and secrets from the past are important in Jasminum. The monastery itself holds a tragic love story from the past, and its spell still persists. The spatial setting of a monastery is quite adequate in this context because by definition the setting must separate men and women. Natasza, the altar-painting restorer and perfume maker on the side, turns out to have her own unhappy love story, no matter how absurd: a runaway bridegroom. Patricia, the hairdresser whom Natasza helps, has perhaps the most banal kind of sad love story: unrequited love towards a famous actor. The film, however, treats all of these love stories equally with "a sense of humor and attentiveness" as the director emphasizes in one of the interviews. The precocious narrator Genia is the only person who does not have a tragic love story hidden in the past for obvious reasons. Therefore her narration of the story is fairly objective, with her adorable dryness adding to the humorous aspect. In the end, however, Genia experiences her own version of a sad love story when she must leave Brat Zdrówko. The key to solving all the mysteries of love lies in finding the right aroma. The film is all about magical smell. This extraordinary idea also adds to the fairytale aspect of the film. The important fact is that Natasza's magic perfume works as a love potion only because the love is already there. She merely gives a little boost by caring and acting upon her sympathy. This leads to the final topic of the film: "saintliness," as the director comments. The film's message is that the most important thing between people is love and caring, and acting upon one's caring for another person. When the caring and acting reaches a certain level, it qualifies to be saintliness. The final scene, when Brat Zdrówko becomes a saint, confirms this idea. As the viewers saw in the film, Brat Zdrówko is the one who cares the most, even about the piglets; he is the one who acts the most to take care of the entire monastery, silently and inconspicuously. This final message is conveyed again with "a sense of humor and tender attentiveness" as Zdrówko complains he cannot light the stoves with the stigmata his hands.

Scents and Sense in Kolski's Jasminum (bbraleyP566)

bbraley2007-02-07

Jasminum by Jan Jakub Kolski is, to my mind, well described by the terms 'unusual' and 'charming' that have been applied to it by Polish reviews. Certainly, the backdrop of a small town and monastery both removes the story from Polish film of the second half of the twentieth century (most films involve one of the two cultural capitals or another prominent city such as Lodz) and tied it to Polish history and tradition (village life and the relationship o the Catholic Church to secular culture share this film's conceptual center). In addition to this, the content and themes in Jasminum interweave with those previously taken up by other Polish directors, most notably the theme of artist and artistic attitudes existing in conflict with religion and politics (addressed by Wajda in Man of Marble and engaged even in such blockbuster classics as Da Vinci) and the motif of broken or frustrated love and philosophical estrangement. It is true that in Jasminum Kolski gives these topics a fresh airing, reinvigorating them with a slightly off-kilter, quirky narrative point of view and an enchanting cast (though Linda might have been better employed in a more demanding role). Everything from the botanically derived names of the candidates for sainthood down to the cinematographic details of verbal and visual perspective (the chiaroscuro lighting, music in the underground vault scene and knowing 'but-not-supposed-to-know' childishness of the narrator's commentary) adds to the eclectic atmosphere of this love drama. And whether Kolski was successful or not in pulling in off, a love drama it was apparently meant to be. The film's preoccupation with smell would seem to provide some clue as to the director's essential vision of this tale of love. The heroine (whose tale is, charmingly, told by her daughter) discover piece by piece the secrets of the saints of older days and even of the monks currently living in the cloister. Birdcherry, Plum, Roch--finally, jasmine, the very 'heart' of love, as we find out along with Natasha--all provide the scent-addicted ladies of the town with something so essential they seem unable to bear life without it. What magic do these fragrances conceal, making them so seductive? It would seem they offer their wearers a certain distillation of the life-force itself, an irresistible attractiveness, self-confidence and perhaps most of all a renewed sense of life's possibilities. They transform reality in accordance with the wearer's will in the concentrations appropriate not to weakness but to saintly strength, fortitude and charity. However, in the end it is the humblest of the monks--Sanitas--who, though tempted by the glory in a new pair of glossy boots, cherished his relationship with little Eugenia, the narrator, and with other small, helpless creatures above all else. While each of the monks is portrayed sympathetically through Kolski's lens (even Birdcherry, the source of Natasha's bitterness), the most penetrating and genuinely touching aspect of this narrative is the growing attachment between an old man and a little girl who, it turns out, have more in common than each originally believes. The mother--the ostensible heroine, as she is verbally depicted by Eugenia--has her own tale, forming a second stratum of the film's treatment of love. Hers is a story of disappointment and bitterness distilled over time, and it is only slightly mitigated through her meeting with her runaway fiancée. While Natasha's unwillingness to place her own trust in a love potion (as does her own disciple) and consequent search for 'oblivion' in another concoction reveal her veiled motivation for working in the cloister, they also complicate and add a sense of authenticity to her character. I wholeheartedly agree with the online review that bravely call the movie 'weak'--in the sense that what at heart is meant to be a love story is to a great extent undermined by the secondary plot involving Boleslaw Linda. In the layer of Kolski's message love is portrayed exclusively as sex without much elaboration, forcing Linda and his stage partner into somewhat superficial roles. Even if by this Kolski is merely attempting to represent various attitudes to love and the way individuals are taken by surprise, he fails to provide the internal logic of the rapidly-developing and 'out of the blue' relationship that evidently blossoms into marital bliss. While Jasminum's atmosphere is engaging and the plot thought-provoking, I ultimately find it a mite contrived and more than a little bit mystifying. I would like to see this very deservingly popular director channel his energies towards even more of these 'modern fairy tales' (bajki), provided he remains faithful to the human reality as well...meaning, just as many fantastic oddities but alongside them a more nuanced and carefully handled human component.

Thought provoking, pleasure to watch

sdway2007-02-06

Jasminum is a beautifully crafted film and a pleasure to watch. The relaxing pace of the movie is reminiscent of the pace of life within the monastery in which it takes place. A sense of mystery and a genuine fondness for the characters, particularly Brother Salinas and the young Genie, make this movie interesting to watch. With the exception of a few scenes, the majority of the movie takes place in a small monastery, but the mystery surrounding the monastery as well as the actions of its inhabitants keep the viewer compelled throughout. Besides the prior Kleophas and the cook Salinas, there are three other monks in the monastery- Birdcherry, Plum and Sweetcherry- who are sequestered and silent. These three produce extremely desirable body odors, which Fr. Kleophas and the surrounding community regard as a miracle. The initial scene of the movie depicts the reception of the monks' dead bodies into the monastery -- five hundred years ago. This, along with Fr. Kleophas' belief in the coming fulfillment of a prophecy made by the apostle Barnabas, and the repeated appearance of a ghost around the monastery grounds, adds to the sense of mystery that keeps the audience captivated. Kleophas believes that the three odiferous monks are on their way to sainthood, a status that requires the performance of a miracle, but are their miracles for real? Are the brothers somehow reincarnations of their 16th century namesakes? What is the significance of the prophecy, and what secrets does the monastery hold? The issue of science versus faith is an important theme in the movie. The chemist and art restorator Natasha is working to restore a painting that Fr. Kleophas believed would be restored by a miracle, and is able to accomplish what no miracle had. In this sense, science is victorious, but Fr. Kleophas wonders what good a chemically restored painting is. Only a painting restored by a miracle would truly enhance the prayers of the faithful. Natasha seeks also to reproduce the scents of the brothers chemically. Her first attempt recreates Birdcherry's scent, but something is missing and the perfume is a failure. Eventually, she finds the missing ingredient Jasmine, which when mixed with Birdcherry's scent produces an odor Natasha calls "oblivion." The hairdresser Patricia then uses this scent to seduce the object of her affection. However, the seduced man cannot figure out why he is in love; he only recognizes an obsession that seems to be driving him mad, which leads to another theme of the movie: the search for happiness. Patricia believes that possession of Birdcherry's scent will lead to her happiness, because it will cause the actor to fall in love with her, but in reality he is only in love with the scent itself, which will eventually fade or run out. This raises the question of whether one really knows what one wants. Does the actor really want Patricia, or does he want her smell? Does Patricia really want the actor, of whom she knows very little, or does she want merely to be desired? Meanwhile the relationship between Sanitas and Genie exemplifies a healthier type of love, a caring reciprocating relationship where each member cares for the well being of the other. The theme of science versus faith is a very timely one, particularly in Poland. Perhaps no other country besides Ireland stands out so much as the Church's last European stronghold of the faithful. Science is a wonderful and even miraculous thing, but faith is mysterious. As rational human beings, we are inclined to accept that which can be explained to us, but faith is required because we can never completely understand the deepest, most personal mysteries of the human experience. Jasminum was very interesting and thought provoking, and anyone interested in the themes of faith and happiness will find it very enjoyable.

great movie

asia19062006-06-24

What does it mean to have faith?

Jedynka3662007-01-30

Jasminum is a mysterious film that explores the ideas and experiences of love, romance, and friendship in a religious, faith-based context. The viewer is swept back in time to the year 1619, where three mystifying and colorful coffins are housed in the crypt of a small monastery. The film is able to captivate the viewer by slowly explaining the mystery of the coffins and their inhabitants' strange scents clear through the end of the film which takes the setting to modern day Poland. Jasminum has the ability to hold on to the audience's attention because it does not reveal the explanations/answers all at once, but rather continuously builds upon itself as a masterfully crafted story. The audience feels right there beside the characters as they purse a journey of self-discovery while gaining an understanding of their own faith. The modern day characters, Genie and Natasha, bring a wonderful sense of joy and hope to the monastery and the local town. One cannot help but to smile at the sight of the narrator, little Genie. Genie's character offsets that of her mother's. Natasha seemed to be a strong willed woman with many curiosities of her own, struggling to find meaning in a life that has led her down an unknown, unplanned path. Meanwhile Genie stays relatively simple and true to her heart in the film. It is in this simplicity that the mystery is finally revealed. This film is sure to be interesting for viewers because of its brilliant plot and kind-hearted humor. Jasminum is a refreshing change in the history of Polish film. It is not gloomy and does not dwell on a rough past, but rather is colorful and insightful. Instead of portraying the problems and hardships of Polish life, like many famous Polish films of the past have done, Jasminum is more like a fairy tale exploring the brighter sides of the human experience. It may also rejuvenate one's Catholic faith. This film explores many earthly topics as well as those embedded in Catholicism. Such topics are desire, sense of belonging and duty, humility, and most of all love. Every character seeks to find his/her place in this world. This is an easy task for some, much harder for others. A hairdresser Patricia seeks a means to find herself a companion for she is convinced she cannot find it on personality and looks alone. She believes if she can harness the scent of Birdcherry any man could be hers. She epitomizes desire. Three monks, Birdcherry, Sweetcherry, and Plum, have an obligation to carryout their earthly duties in the hopes of performing a miracle, propelling them onto sainthood. They feel comfortable with this path, it is how they exemplify faith and it is what gives them strength and belonging. The audience learns later that Birdcherry and Natasha were once romantically connected in the past and this encounter has forced them both to reevaluate their responsibilities and purpose in life. Monk Sanitas is of course the lovable, and most of all humble cook. This character, if not any other, should be the most inspiring of the film. For thirty years he has been the cook and overall caretaker of the St. Roch Church. He lives the humble life that a monk is generally thought to live. He is innocent and compassionate, especially with Genie. By the close of the film, he wants nothing more than the girl to stay with him so he may play with her and watch little Genie grow up. He never forgets to ask for the Lord's blessing to watch over those in his heart. The last major theme of love may be attributed to Natasha; the chemist who finds out love is more about faith and feeling rather than scientific equations and experiments. Though one might believe to have all the explanations and reasons to life's questions and great mysteries, it is the nature of life and existence that keeps people guessing and searching. Sooner or later, if one has a pure, simple heart like Monk Sanitas or little Genie, life will be sure to reward. The characters that are most pure of heart and soul, like Monk Sanitas and little Genie, do not ask too many questions of God and therefore, do not question their purpose, their faith, and their abilities. On the other hand, those like Patricia are lost in a sea of doubt and unhappiness, that is until they reconnect with their faith, or at least something that give them faith. This film comes highly recommended to any person seeking a fresh outlook on the daily dilemmas they might encounter. Sometimes humans have a way of putting their lives into narrow perspectives containing too many explanations and diluted rationale. Jasminum helps viewers take that much needed step back, a breather. It helps one to understand life is much bigger than the individual while being grateful for the blessings they are granted. All age groups will learn something about themselves by viewing this film, and not only once, but every screening. This film will not put crazy ideas into one's head but rather a better understanding of what it is to be human in the world one lives in.

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Jasminum (2006)