Vortex

Name: Vortex
Genre: Drama
Released: April 29, 2022
Duration: 140 min
Rating: 82
Cast: Alex Lutz, Charles Morillon, Corinne Bruand, Dario Argento, Françoise Lebrun

2022

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 29 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Ratings

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7.4

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7.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Utopia | Release Date: April 29, 2022 | Not Rated

Starring: Alex Lutz, Charles Morillon, Corinne Bruand, Dario Argento, Françoise Lebrun, Frank Villeneuve, Joël Clabault, Kamel Benchemekh, Kylian Dheret, Vuk Brankovic

Summary: Presented in split screen, Vortex tells the story of an aging couple in a Paris apartment. As the mother (Françoise Lebrun) faces advancing dementia, the father (Dario Argento) tries to care for her while dealing with his own declining health, and their son (Alex Lutz) does his best in spite of his own significant personal problems.

Director: Gaspar Noé

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 140 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Tara Brady

May 13, 2022

Unnervingly naturalistic performances from two cinematic legends – the great Italian giallo master Dario Argento, the great Italian giallo master and the star of La Maman et La Putain – add to the sense of loss. Read full review

100

Liam Lacey

May 9, 2022

Apart from the inspired split-screen gimmick, the film works because the cast is superb, with Argento as the impatient, angry old lion holding on to his threads of power. Lebrun’s performance, though, is the heart of the film. Read full review

Luke Y. Thompson

May 4, 2022

Vortex looks unsparingly at characters at the end of life, and finds their experiences as scary as any traditional horror tale. Read full review

IndieWire Eric Kohn

Jul 17, 2021

The filmmaker has made a rather soulful look at what it means to grasp onto life in its waning moments, and invites his audience into the center of that dilemma. Read full review

The Independent Clarisse Loughrey

May 13, 2022

Is Noé suddenly feeling self-reflective? Not to be contrarian for the sake of it, but I struggle to find anything gentle or humanistic in Vortex. That’s what’s so mesmerising about it. It is the ringing of the death knell, a memento mori in action, and an alienating if ultimately deeply humbling experience for its audience. Read full review

Pat Brown

Jul 20, 2021

Merciless but affecting, Vortex suggests that one respite from the loneliness of life lived in the shadow of death is the realm of dreams. Read full review

Brianna Zigler

Sep 27, 2021

Vortex, while visually captivating, only functions as a window through which to look at death detached from the beauty of life. Read full review

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User Reviews

hamos786

Apr 29, 2022

Watched this film at the Cannes Film festival. Absolutely stunning the way how the film was shot and presented!

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

bertobellamy

Oct 7, 2022

Another stressful experiment by Gaspar Noé. 'Vortex' is a dramatic downward spiral of frustration and hopelessness. Dario Argento impresses as an old man trying to live many lives simultaneously despite his age. But it is Françoise Lebrun who gives the most striking and somber performance byAnother stressful experiment by Gaspar Noé. 'Vortex' is a dramatic downward spiral of frustration and hopelessness. Dario Argento impresses as an old man trying to live many lives simultaneously despite his age. But it is Françoise Lebrun who gives the most striking and somber performance by playing an old woman lost in the shadow of dementia. 'Vortex' sure plays some of the same notes as 'The Father,' but the tone is cruder. Noé draws upon some visual resources to exasperate the viewer — is the split screen format diabolically trying to look like a film frame? — creating a sense of confusion and discomfort. It's like 'Climax' but slowed down to the minimum level, with some Haneke's 'Amour' elements in there. My only complaint is the excessive runtime and the feeling that everything gets repetitive very quickly, but I guess that was his intent.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

alanpotter17

Nov 10, 2022

Embora consiga transmitir bem sua mensagem, e com técnicas visuais inovadoras (o quadro duplo), o filme se arrasta mais do que deveria, tornando-se até um pouco sádico. O casal de idosos tem uma atuação realmente brilhante e visceral, e vale a pena conferir. É melancólico, meio pessimista,Embora consiga transmitir bem sua mensagem, e com técnicas visuais inovadoras (o quadro duplo), o filme se arrasta mais do que deveria, tornando-se até um pouco sádico. O casal de idosos tem uma atuação realmente brilhante e visceral, e vale a pena conferir. É melancólico, meio pessimista, mas muito poético, e tudo muito realista graças às grandes performances.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

yeqks

May 9, 2022

A slow moving, disturbing, and emotionally impaling cinematic experience. Gaspar really doesn’t disappoint, as this film packs some of the most potent performances in any of his previous films, Dario Argento, François Lebrun and Alex Lutz do a surprisingly amazing job performing. The splitA slow moving, disturbing, and emotionally impaling cinematic experience. Gaspar really doesn’t disappoint, as this film packs some of the most potent performances in any of his previous films, Dario Argento, François Lebrun and Alex Lutz do a surprisingly amazing job performing. The split screen used in the film’s visuals are wonderfully implemented with a clear artistic purpose, the film is incredibly well shot and though the pacing is very slow it never feels dull whatsoever. My main issues lie with the film’s narrative feeling a little scatter-brained and random, a few plot threads feel picked up and dropped without much development, and though I appreciate the use of empty scenes that feel like nothingness as a way to illustrate how our lives are made up of 50% nothingness, there’s a point where those additions aren’t needed anymore.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

JLuis_001

Sep 30, 2022

I'm not a fan of Gaspar Noé. I never have been and I've always been clear about it, but I also know how to admit when my mouth gets shut. And Noe has done it in what is undoubtedly the most mature and crucial film he has delivered in his career.

Here he's no longer the provocateur, but theI'm not a fan of Gaspar Noé. I never have been and I've always been clear about it, but I also know how to admit when my mouth gets shut. And Noe has done it in what is undoubtedly the most mature and crucial film he has delivered in his career.

Here he's no longer the provocateur, but the creator who builds a devastating and sad story that doesn't try to be gentle in its treatment and it's not because it cannot be humane in a tale that deals with a subject as depressing as this one, but to have treated it in a way that would have softened it in some way would have been terrible for his film.

Vortex is a film that perhaps goes a bit overboard in its length, and you may feel like you no longer want to go through with that painful treatment, but it's a film that should be experienced regardless of the cathartic satisfaction or entertainment it may not provide.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

TVJerry

May 15, 2022

Writer/director Gaspar Noé is known for his unique visual style and willingness to experiment. He keeps it up with his latest effort revolving around an aging couple in Paris, followed simultaneously on split screens. Her dementia (Françoise Lebrun) is advancing rapidly, while he (famedWriter/director Gaspar Noé is known for his unique visual style and willingness to experiment. He keeps it up with his latest effort revolving around an aging couple in Paris, followed simultaneously on split screens. Her dementia (Françoise Lebrun) is advancing rapidly, while he (famed Italian director Dario Argento) has to deal with her erratic behavior and his own health issues. The dual images are interesting, observing their behaviors without much cinematic interference. She wanders aimlessly, while he tries to write his book and cope with her. Each scene is extended with plenty of silence and minimally interesting dialogue, which was often improvised. Noé's love of a distracting "blink" between every cut (a few frames of black) serves to pull the viewer out of the experience. Some will appreciate the measured pace and naturalistic approach, while others will find the cinematic gimmick gets in the way of any real emotional connections. (In French with subtitles)… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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