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How does one let go of someone she loves when the one she loves is wrong? How does one move on from a crime he committed when said crime won’t ever let him forget? Who does an audience side with in this debate of damaged goods? Those three questions are dangled in front of any audience that settles in for the rousing, if not slightly taboo, drama of “Una.”
Based on the acclaimed play “Blackbird” by David Harrower, which received a Broadway revival this year, the title character of “Una” is a young woman (Rooney Mara) living with her mother in the seclusion of a British suburb. One day, she goes to a warehouse to visit a man named Peter (Ben Mendelsohn). But Una calls him Ray—to the surprise of one of his fellow employees (Riz Ahmed)—because she knew Ray when she was a young girl, when they spent a lot of time together that they don’t like to talk about. But does Ray get to move on as Pete? And why is Una visiting Ray after 15 years?
Know upfront that “Una” is not meant to be a pleasant viewing experience. It’s not a triumphant story of a woman avenging herself or a perceived monster getting his due. “Una” toys with its audience by making them question who is the stable individual in this unstable situation. Una’s reasons for seeing Ray are never fully clear and neither is Ray’s “reformed” attitude.
Director Benedict Andrews wisely never shows the actual moment Ray committed his horrible act on Una, but instead shows bits and pieces of what led up to it, through flashbacks, creating this gorgeous nightmare of an event that haunts both Una and Ray. Mr. Andrews also wisely brought in the author of the source material, David Harrower, to write the screenplay equally filled with sharp dialogue and room for scenes to breathe. Mr. Andrews also wants to remind the audience that this is based on a play, because he shoots most of the movie like a stage play with tight, steady shots of closed-off environments emphasizing the tension between the leads. He also has an interesting way of displaying the time periods in the movie. The past, where young innocent Una (Ruby Stokes) is seen unsure if she truly loves this strange older man, is shot with a sheen of artsy day glow. The present, which mostly takes place inside a warehouse, is flooded with oppressive fluorescent light. The warehouse’s white walls appear as if whatever mess is about to be made will be plastered on them for all to see.
That mess is hard to look away from, not because of it’s salacious subject matter—OK, maybe a little bit because of that—but because the acting is hypnotic. Ms. Mara and Mr. Mendelsohn are dynamite together, champing at the bit every time they get a line at each other. Ms. Mara looks like she’s about to crack any second and scream so loud that every glass on the planet could crack, but the fire in her eyes remains at bay. Mr. Mendelsohn is understated as usual, but the way he goes from being sleazy to sympathetic and back to sleazy again is impressive. The movie doesn’t outright sympathize with this deviant, but forces the audience to consider: “Has this guy changed?” It’s all mere mind games to start a discussion within the narrative.
“Una” might make audiences squirm, but it’s not exploitation. It’s a modern-day game of wits, playing against each other’s weaknesses. It’s meant to start a discussion that doesn’t have a clear answer. The real question is which discussion will be more interesting to watch: The one in the movie or the one the audience will have when the credits roll?
on Oct 12, 2016