Atom Egoyan was Oscar nominated for his powerful 1997 drama “The Sweet Hereafter”. His latest film is “Seven Veils”, an examination of the making of an opera and the woman at the center of it. Amanda Seyfried pulls off a challenging performance as Jeanine, the director of a new version of “Salome” opening soon in Canada. We learn early on that Jeanine is very close to the work… maybe too close?
About 10 minutes into “Seven Veils”, I realized this movie has a similar aura to the best film of 2022, “TAR”. Todd Haynes’ drama, starring a career-best Cate Blanchett, was an immersive dissection of a composer / conductor and orchestral music. It kicks off with Lydia Tar in an interview being asked about her career and the meaning of her work, and over the course of two and a half hours, she winds up in controversies and is challenged about her “old school” way of thinking, which could jeopardize everything she’s built.
Jeanine’s experiences are along those same lines in “Seven Veils”, including an intense podcast interview, issues surrounding her changes and interpretations of “Salome”, and frustration with not getting her way. All the while, the past continues to haunt her. Seyfried has a lot to do, and she keeps you invested in the momentum. Egoyan’s signature wide shots, allowing you to take it all in, also create a pretty grounded and gritty atmosphere. Adding to the realism: Seyfried not making every line of dialogue sound like it’s perfectly delivered. There are pauses, hesitations and repetitions in some of her syllables as she describes what she wants out of her actors in specific scenes.
What holds “Seven Veils” back from being fantastic are how some subplots (including the purpose of Seyfried’s narration) are shoved in, rather than eased in, and they don’t have as much impact as the core storyline. The film also drifts a little bit in the middle but never feels uninteresting. At its best, this is a creepy and effective dramatic mystery thriller that definitely packs enough of a punch.
LCJ GRADE: B
Running Time: 107 min.