This is a very peculiar film, in that while it has a fascinatingly disturbing premise, it seems to be full of unlikely outcomes and unexplained parts... but then, it's weird, so this is not necessarily a bad thing!
Telling the story of a few weeks in the life of a family headed by a patriarch so alarming (not that he seems it, especially) that he keeps his wife and grown-up children locked up at home and (the children at least) under the impression that the world outside isn't safe to go into because of cats(!), the film focuses on some of the psyhco-sexual affects of this bizarre set-up.
We see how the father decides that his son - though not, of course, his daughters - needs a woman from the world outside to satisfy his sexual needs. Inevitably, this doesn't turn out for the best, and her presence as well as the way in which one of the daughters manipulates her ends up contributing to some rather catostrophic events...
What IS weird is that this was billed as a comedy drama. There are certainly some amusing moments - but most of them are at the very least tinged with a slight horror at what's happening, and at the whole context of even the funny parts. Certainly I don't find the premise of keeping people entirely isolated from the outside world and, findamentally, fucking with their minds to ensure they stay that way, even remotely funny.
One thing I found odd, too, is the notion that the three children (and presumably the fourth - if he ever existed - who's run away and been devoured by cats before the film starts) would look so squeaky clean and also have a vague sense of style. The girls also, it seems, shave their legs and armpits - and I dunno, it just really undermined the whole thing for me, as I'm just NOT convinced that even with their parents as role models, people would turn out like that if they lived in complete isolation.
Also intrigued me that while they're not allowed to see TV or movies (just home movies), the older daughter seems to refer to at least three different ones... even though there's only ever any indication she's seen two. This added to the impression that we were seeing only part of the story - which, again, isn't necessarily a bad thing, but was a little confusing.
In many ways, while interesting, I wouldn't rush out to watch this: it's not really vry enjoyable - instead, it's a bit like the uneasy feeling you get from watching something like Funny Games, but less intelelctually rewarding, I think!
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