Cosmopolis (2012)

Directed by: David Cronenberg | 109 minutes | drama | Actors: Robert Pattinson, Sarah Gadon, Paul Giamatti, Kevin Durand, Abdul Ayoola, Juliette Binoche, Emily Hampshire, Bob Bainborough, Samantha Morton, Zeljko Kecojevic, Jay Baruchel, Philip Nozuka, Mathieu Amalric, Patricia McKenzi, Ryan Kelly, Nadeem Umar- Khitab, Albert Gomez, Gouchy Boy

The film ‘Cosmopolis’, after an acclaimed book by Don DeLillo, seems to be the complete opposite of the limousine in which the film is largely set because of its distant, abstract dialogues, the practical lack of emotions of the protagonist, and the clinical environment of the limousine in which the film takes place. the “body horror” movies – like ‘The Fly’, ‘Videodrome’ or ‘Scanners’ – that director Cronenberg has become famous for, but it all depends on how you define this term. In any case, Cronenberg has always been interested in identity, and the roles that body and mind play in it. Body and mind often come into conflict – or into new forms – in his films, and this also happens, to a certain extent, with the extremely intellectually inclined protagonist in ‘Cosmopolis’.

David Cronenberg may seem to have taken a very different path in the last decade with more subtle and intellectual-looking films like ‘Spider’, ‘History of Violence’, and now ‘Cosmopolis’, but looks can be deceiving. He seems to still have the same fascination for identity as ever. For example, Cronenberg does not believe in the separation between body and mind and the body – and corporality – is inextricably linked to identity for him. This view permeates almost all of his films. Often his characters “forget” the importance of this physicality and focus mainly on their intellectual excesses. This often leads to the death of the main character in his “old form” and a rebirth of his identity, in which body and mind have to find a new harmony. Sometimes unintentionally, and sometimes from the wishes of the characters. In ‘The Fly’, for example, this resulted in “Brundlefly”, a fusion of main character Seth Brundle and a fly. In ‘Videodrome’ the body became one with technology (such as a TV and VCR), ending with the battle cry “Long live the new flesh”. But also in ‘A History of Violence’, inescapable physicality turned out to be an important theme. The “protests” and new shapes of the bodies in Cronenberg films also indicate the danger of wanting to structure life too tightly, and of wanting to analyze and anticipate everything. The body, like life, has many deviations and we should not be afraid of this. We must dare to accept irregularities and uncertainties.

Robert Pattinson’s character in ‘Cosmopolis’ clearly does not dare to do this: everything must be definable, explainable and predictable for him. Fluctuations in share prices, trends in technology, social trends, behavior of exchange rates, and more philosophical meanings of concepts such as present, future, and past, he tries to map everything as accurately as possible and to gain an intellectual grasp. His body must also be able to continue to work as a perfect computer or machine. To this end, he has himself examined extensively – externally and internally – by a doctor every day. Even emotions and human relationships seem to him to be scientific formulas and things that he tries to experience and reproduce with the help of knowledge from books and personal empirical observations (“I know this”, is a regular remark, to indicate that he theoretically know how something – such as human interaction – should fit together). Dryly comical are the conversations with his wife in which he tries to “seduce” her into sex by means of intellectual arguments and logical explanations. Pattinson is (namely) not the only one who communicates so coolly and analytically. Many in his immediate environment, including his new wife, treat him like this. Perhaps because there is no other way to converse with him.

‘Cosmopolis’ is immaculately directed and beautifully shot, a style befitting the structured, aesthetically perfect world of cool billionaire Eric Packer (Robert Pattinson) and beautifully showing the overly clinical quality of this universe. It almost doesn’t seem to be about people here, but about aliens who study our earth and play games with money, people, and humanity. Pattinson is perfectly cast in this one by Eric. A cynic would say this is because he can play emotionless characters so well, but that would be unfair. Because, yes, he has to come across as aloof and calculating here, but this also has to come across as believable and part of an intriguing person. And this does it. Furthermore, Pattinson manages to put many subtleties in his portrayal. It is not just blank stares and indifferent attitudes that are shown here. Eric tries with all his might to get a grip on the world but seems to be unable to do so. He invites people into his limousine who talk in abstractions and try to organize the world with him, and Eric’s reactions are different. Sometimes he sucks it up like a sponge, sometimes he looks at it with an attitude of omniscience and superiority, and sometimes he’s also obviously confused and intrigued. Then he furrows an eyebrow very subtly, or he gets a thinking wrinkle between his eyes.

But there are also more extreme moments of emotion. At one point he even falls sobbing into the arms of a passenger in his limousine over the death of a public figure Eric had once met. It is not clear why this particular death affected him so much. Perhaps because this person died young, and from a disease that brought the mortality and fragility of the human body too close for Eric. After all, he had already heard that he himself had an “asymmetric prostate”. Just like society, the body doesn’t always do what you want it to do. Not everything can be controlled. Eric also has to deal with social anarchy (rather than that of the body); namely when his limousine is smeared and pelted by anti-capitalist demonstrators (a salient detail: while the filming of ‘Cosmopolis’ was in progress, the Occupy protests broke out. How current do you want it?). Not that he seems to care much about this. In the end, apart from wanting to know, he mainly seems to want to feel, but because of the compulsive focus on the former, the latter does not work. No matter how much sex he has, he wants to feel more, just like the fighters in ‘Fight Club’. For example, after a sex party, he asks his partner to shock him with a “taser”. Whether this happened or worked, we don’t see. But even a shocking act of violence late in the film doesn’t affect him. Eric appears to be mainly looking for himself, but seems already too far from his destination. He should have just listened to his body. Especially to his prostate.

Some viewers will find ‘Cosmopolis’ boring or dusty. And this is quite understandable. This isn’t exactly traditional “entertainment” either: ‘Cosmopolis’ is slow, alienating, and distant. But at the same time, the film is infinitely fascinating, surprising, dryly comical, and the universe is beautifully designed by master filmmaker David Cronenberg. Judge yourself.