Lolita (1997)

Director: Adrian Lynne

A forbidden love. An unthinkable attraction. The ultimate price.

Writers: Stephen Schiff (script), Vladimir Nabokov (novel)

Starring: Jeremy Irons, Frank Langella, Dominque Swain

Okay, I’ve seen movies about child abuse before, namely Mysterious Skin (2004) and I recently read Karin Slaughter’s Kisscut. The difference between the latter two and Lolita is that Lolita romantisizes the love between Humbert and Lolita. This is odd. Normally, this behaviour is demonized, we see the abuse from the child’s point of view, how it messes them up. In Lolita, since it is from Humbert’s point of view, we are forced into seeing the abuse as a loving act…which is totally against my nature. I watched it till the end but will not be watching it again. I understand that a body double was used during the sex scenes between Humbert and Lolita but it is the subject matter and its portrayal of being “love” that I can’t get over. At least Humbert and Quilty die at the end which somewhat follows the idea that what they both did was wrong. However, though I hate to admit it, it was well written and acted.

BEST LINE

Humbert: What are you eating?

Lolita: It’s called a jawbreaker. It’s supposed to break your jaw. Want one?

6/10

~ by ejmarquez on October 11, 2009.