FilmRoar

I picked up a copy of Safe (1995) based on the interesting cover design and the credit for Julianne Moore (Boogie Nights (1997), Magnolia (1999)) as the lead. Since I came into the movie without any real expectations I cannot say that I was disappointed but I can say that I wish I hand known what I was getting into before I started the movie. Safe takes a lethargic approach to the eerie tale of Carol, a wealthy California housewife whose health slowly deteriorates. As her physician, an allergist and a psychiatrist all tell her that nothing is wrong with her she begins to realize that environmental pollutants are the cause of her illness. Carol eventually has to overcome the prejudice of her husband (Xander Berkeley) and move to a somewhat creepy self-affirmation oriented retreat in the Arizona desert run by a demagogic leader (Peter Friedman).

The nature of Carol’s illness, her relationship with her husband, the agenda of the retreat are all left ambiguous enough to let the viewer draw their own conclusions and make their own assumptions on the subtext of the movie. Some people refer to Safe as a thriller, others as horror and others as a satire. The movie is vague enough that it is hard to mount any strong disagreement with any of these opinions. The unhurried pacing with which writer director Todd Haynes unravels the story reminded me of the story of a frog that is put in water that heats so slowly the frog does not realize it’s danger until it has boiled to death. It proves an effective tool to make the audience question just how safe they are in their own environments. Many allege that the movie is an allegory on the AIDS epidemic, others believe it is a warning on the chemical present while others read into it a fable of the effects and dangers of our every day life. The movie’s strength to be open enough to interpretation is unfortunately also its weakness making the final product tiresome and ultimately unfulfilling.