Weekend Netflix Report: 'The Diving Bell and the Butterfly'

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)

More painters should try their hand at film directing, I think. Julian Schnable does a terrific job here with a true story that many far more experienced directors might think unfilmable: the horrifying experience of stroke victim Jean-Dominique Bauby, the former editor of French Elle, who became mute and completely paralyzed except for his left eye. Schnable shot most of the film using "subjective camera" -- i.e., we see nearly everything through Bauby's eyes (or, er, eye) as he learns to communicate again through the only means available to him: blinking. He's played by Mathieu Almaric -- Bond's nemesis in Quantum of Solace -- who is quite effective in this very different role. His voiceover renderings of Bauby's inner thoughts, ranging from sarcastic humor to black despair, are moving, even though all the dialog is in sub-titled French; his subtle vocal inflections define the character beautifully. This is a sad story, but one that conveys a hopeful message: we're more than just our bodies, and even in dire circumstances, imagination can set us free.