Watch Morvern Callar

Morvern Callar is a British drama film directed by Lynne Ramsay and based on a novel of the same name by Alan Warner. The movie is set in a bleak Scottish town and follows the story of Morvern Callar (Samantha Morton), a young woman who works in a supermarket and lives with her boyfriend, James (Kathleen McDermott). The movie opens with James' suicide, leaving Morvern alone with his corpse during Christmas time. Instead of calling the authorities, Morvern takes a different approach and decides to go on a trip to Spain with James' manuscript and money he left her. From there, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery, escapism, and reinvention.

The film relies heavily on its visual expressions that heighten the poetic and emotional nature of the story. As Morvern goes through a range of experiences in Spain, she tries to come to terms with her boyfriend's suicide, and her own life.

The film is a character study, and Samantha Morton delivers an outstanding performance as the enigmatic, complex, and fascinating Morvern Callar. Her reactions to situations are often unpredictable, and she has a quiet but strong presence that radiates from her character's introspective gaze.

As Morvern travels through Spain, her encounters are often mundane, but significant. She spends time with strangers, buying presents for her friends, and becoming more independent. The scenes are shot with intimacy, simplicity, and elegance, and the visual components are used to build an emotional connection with Morvern's experiences.

As she navigates her way through Spain, the movie touches upon themes of escape, self-discovery, and existentialism. Morvern seems to be searching for something, but what that is remains a mystery. We see her trying to find some sense of purpose, even as she processes the aftermath of James' death. Her journey is not about healing but more about transformation.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the movie is how it is shot. The film's visual style is a collaboration between Ramsay's vision and Alwin H. Küchler's cinematography work. The film's palette is sombre, with a host of muted colours and shadows that provide the ever-present mood of Morvern's depression, and add depth to the storyline.

Moreover, the film's score is a crucial contributor, with music by Boards of Canada, Aphex Twin, Can, and Lee Hazelwood, which centres around the themes of melancholia, apathy, and introspection.

In summary, Morvern Callar is a quiet and haunting film that explores the aftermath of grief in a unique way. Its aversion on the visual and acoustic elements, combined with a compelling performance from Samantha Morton is sure to resonate with audiences who are in search of profound and thought-provoking storylines.

Morvern Callar is a 2002 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 37 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.8 and a MetaScore of 78.