7 Reactions to The Piano Teacher
By Jimmy Chen
7. Sadness stab
The film culminates at a recital where the piano teacher was to replace a student whose hands were sabotaged by the former out of jealously. Her love interest, having quickly moved on seamlessly to another younger and prettier woman, barely acknowledges our tormented heroine as he passes with an assured gait and dismissive cruelty. In one slow beautiful take, the camera lays still on the actress’s (Isabelle Huppert) face as it contorts from love, to resentment, to anger; and finally, to a searing sadness that hit this contributor low in the stomach as she quickly, with the same deft hand meant to frolic at the high notes, stabs herself in the chest. A dollop of blood eases from within her blouse, like a dark flower that only blooms at night. This film is so fucked.
Colloquial reaction:“Jesus Christ.”