Funny Games

Acclaimed German filmmaker Michael Haneke makes his English language debut with FUNNY GAMES, a remake of his 1997 film. Unlike most American remakes of foreign films, FUNNY GAMES manages to retain the same visceral impact of its source, especially to those who have never seen it before. For those who have, there are no surprises (it is, after all, a shot-for-shot remake) save for the uniformly spectacular performances and the sadistic joy of watching the uninitiated become more and more disturbed.

The premise is simple. A small family of well-to-do vacationers (Naomi Watts, Tim Roth and Devon Gearhart) is settling down in their blindingly white home-away-from-home when two strange faces (Michael Pitt, Brady Corbet) come to the door. After a small number of decidedly eerie encounters, the two young men reveal the real reason for their presence; they are sadistic killers who throw the family into a series of violent and degrading “games” to make the whole process entertaining. Who is being entertained, however, is the question.

The film is made with no intent to be liked by anyone. In fact, anyone who says they love it should be ready for all sorts of strange looks from the others who’ve seen it. The family makes all the wrong decisions when attempting to escape, and Haneke relishes devilishly in what we expect from it. The film is alienating and accusatory in the same way it was before. Unfortunately, Haneke takes a slightly subtler approach to the film’s meaning and it loses some of its bite. It will still shock and offend many, even if it isn’t as wicked or biting as before.

Aside from a few entirely plausible cell phone-related additions to the film, it remains entirely the same. The main interest for viewers to revisit the film’s world is the performances, which are very strong. While Roth and Pitt suffer in comparison to their German-language counterparts, they still commit strong, manipulative and gut-wrenching performances. Pitt in particular eschews his typical whiny poutiness and manages to be truly intimidating. However, Watts and the young Gearhart provide the film with the images that will stay in audiences’ minds. Any sympathy that one feels while watching is due largely to them. Their perpetual state of humiliation and terror is exhaustive; the audience often feels just as traumatized as they do. As Ann, Watts has never been better. Her desperation is emotional without ever being melodramatic. Ann walks a fine line between being sympathetic and being cold and unlikable but Watts maneuvers around it perfectly; a feat that Susanne Lothar was not always successful at in the original film.

FUNNY GAMES is essentially an American translation of the original Austrian film. It is a shocking and thrilling experience, daring you to stay and expecting you to leave before the film is over. Those going in having seen the original will know exactly what to expect and will put themselves in for another exercise in hopelessness. Unless they want to see the others squirm.

***/****