acsdoug D
I give the movie points for originality and to Julianne Moore for an excellent performance. Just can't recommend it though, it's too slow for me.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
03/18/24
Full Review
Tim O
Watched on the heels of a blog mention (never saw back in the day): Has good review numbers, but didn't really 'grab' me. The 'dull/sterile' world just seemed _too_ muted, to the point of dragging.
Could be, seeing, "My World is Trying to Kill Me", circa '87 (channeled via '95), is a bit less impactful in a post C-19 world.
Given, the broad trust level now, generally, is a ton lower than it was even then... Almost seems "quaint" in comparison. Moore's 'nutty' paranoid housewife now possibly reads, less like a rampant nut, and maybe just another unintended side effect, from a system we no longer understand.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
01/20/24
Full Review
Matthew D
Julianne Moore is phenomenal as a paranoid housewife.
Director Todd Haynes' psychological horror drama Safe (1995) is a magnificent film. Haynes builds up paranoia and suspense with these eerie sounds, wide open spaces, constant noise, air pollution, coughing fits, and nervousness about modern medicine. It's been awhile since I've seen such a tense and uncomfortable film that's also so totally entertaining as Julianne Moore is slowly losing her mind. Haynes is a masterful director with such dark precision. Todd Haynes' writing is concerned with the apprehensions about the AIDS crisis in 1987, the new holistic medicines, germophobia, paranoia, clean modern living, housewives' monotonous lifestyles, and eerie disquiet of the suburbs. Safe makes you feel sick and unsafe at all times.
Julianne Moore is absolutely captivating as the housewife estranged from reality named Carol White. Moore does really sullen and subtle expressions of discomfort, nervousness, and paranoia as she thinks she is unwell. Safe is kind of a condemnation of wellness culture and odd medical practices. You wonder if she is just depressed or unappreciated by her terrible husband, but Moore ensures you that her character is snapping to the pressures of social dangers and possible disease everywhere. Her panic attack and breathing spasm during the baby shower is so disturbing. How did Julianne Moore not get nominated for an Oscar for Safe?
Xander Berkeley is perfectly cast as the jerk husband Greg White, who is obsessed with work relations and could care less about his adoring wife. Julie Burgess is so upbeat as the aerobics instructor. Martha Velez is great as the annoyed and helpful maid Fulvia. All of her strange housewife friends are excellent as the increasingly distressing people. Steven Gilborn is fun as the disbelieving Dr. Hubbard. Dean Norris got a quick cameo as the teal sofa mover. Casting director Jakki Fink brings talented actresses and actors into Haynes' nerve-wracking fold.
Editor James Lyons has really smooth, dreamy cuts. Safe feels so modern in its hazy, professional editing. Cinematographer Alex Nepomniaschy does these isolating wide shots of Julianne, then abrupt close-up shots for when she's really losing her marbles. It all looks so uneasy and frightening. Safe is one of the best looking pictures of the entire 1990's.
Production designers David J. Bomba and Clare Scarpulla do great work for Julianne's all white home that's spacious and modern to the point of being sterile. Art director Anthony R. Stabley gives each scene a cold and distant look. All the 80's neon things are really cool like the workout area and lighting at night. The purples, pinks, and blues everywhere look amazing. It's like the few plants and furniture from set decorator Mary E. Gullickson.
Composer Ed Tomney's eerie film score is so freaky and haunting. He uses these dissonant synth lines and creepy ambient sounding parts underneath a gentle piano line. Safe has really really cool music. Sound designers Tim O'Shea, John Gare, Reilly Steele, David Novack, Neil Danziger, Mark Beck, Alan deGraaf, and Elliot Jacobson add in these strange ambient noises.
Costume designer Nancy Steiner puts Jullianne Moore in these superb, vibrantly colored dresses, blouses, and skirts. Her 80's workout tights are so cute from that era. Makeup artists Deborah K. Larsen and David Syner give Julianne Moore the loveliest pale makeup that flatters her fair skin alongside her red lipstick, red eyeliner, and pink blush. Hairstyling Josef Pergi does Julianne's bright red haircut that's super cute on her. Her curly perm is fun.
In short, Safe is 119 minutes of mental breakdown and rising paranoia.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
08/28/23
Full Review
Kevin L
Julianne Moore is remarkable, of course. Haynes was already doing impressive work as a writer and director. There's a very holistic feel to the whole movie. The dark, unsettling tone holds on to your throughout as the sense of unwellness is almost palpable. I feel like I need two showers and a cleanse.
3.2 stars
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
06/09/23
Full Review
K W
Important social commentary that explained an incident I went through a few years earlier. I wasn't alone.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
05/01/23
Full Review
TheFilmReviewer 1
Breathtakingly filmed and brilliantly acted, Safe is an astounding second feature from the mastermind Todd Haynes, who achieves the most out of a soberingly quiet Julianne Moore.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
03/02/23
Full Review
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