An outstanding tribute to various (art) manifestos of the nineteenth and twentieth century, ranging from Communism to Dogme, in connection with thirteen different characters, including a homeless man, a factory worker and a corporate CEO, who are all played by Cate Blanchett. A striking humorous audio-visual experience.
Rosefeldt and a very game Blanchett spring one surprising creation on the viewer after the other. But what it all adds up to is of course up for debate.
The surprise here is that Rosefeldt has managed to deliver an intellectually-charged, cheeky, and very funny film that feels unruly and expansive in spite of its tight 12-day shooting schedule and its focus on just one performer.
The film is more of a clip show, awkwardly cutting together elements once presented in a drastically different manner. In doing so, it obfuscates the power of a manifesto, allegedly what it means to pay tribute to.
Even if you’re unfamiliar with the movements in the film, Manifesto is still a brilliant display of Blanchett’s unstoppable talent and Rosefeldt’s ability to use one art form – filmmaking – to explore so many others.
Each of Blanchett’s characters exists in a complete environment, and Rosefeldt’s camera is keen to reveal the gags and treasures contained within each.
As a work of cinematic art, it defies codification. It begs for multiple viewings, if only to pick apart the concepts that it introduces, changes, and interacts with over the course of its run time.
Rosefeldt’s visual panache and Blanchett’s astonishing versatility bring cinematic verve to something that could’ve easily come off as too dryly conceptual.
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The Hollywood Reporter by Boyd van Hoeij
TheWrap by Dan Callahan
The Film Stage by Daniel Schindel
ScreenCrush by E. Oliver Whitney
Slant Magazine by Elise Nakhnikian
The A.V. Club by Esther Zuckerman
We Got This Covered by Lauren Humphries-Brooks
The Playlist by Noel Murray
Variety by Peter Debruge
Screen International by Tim Grierson