Pulsar (2010)

Directed by: Alex Stockman | 95 minutes | drama, thriller, romance | Actors: Sien Eggers, Vincent Lecuyer, Stefan Perceval, Matthias Schoenaerts, Marit Stocker, Nico Sturm, Tine Van den Wyngaert

A Flemish drama about one of the most fascinating paradoxes of the early 21st century: the more advanced the means of communication, the more lonely people are. In “Pulsar,” young drug courier Samuel tries to keep in touch with his girlfriend Mireille, who lives temporarily in New York. As long as the computer works, everything works fine, but as soon as the computer starts to malfunction, the contact starts to falter. Is it his girlfriend from whom he receives emails? Who is that stranger who occasionally pops up in his computer network? A neighbor? A friend? And is this still healthy mistrust or a mild form of paranoia?

‘Pulsar’ leaves little doubt: all contact involving technology creates distance rather than intimacy. A pre-war telephone is just fine, anything more advanced creates alienation. This message is not always conveyed in a nuanced way. The girl next door who comes by with fresh bread is a bit too ostentatious to bring the message. The same goes for the girl who is having a conversation in the cafe while checking her cell phone over and over. But what is really annoying is that the makers completely ignore all the positives of modern means of communication.

The plot of ‘Pulsar’ is sometimes a bit stiff. It is not a thriller, but by adding thriller elements, the viewer is sometimes misled. The film has the ingredients for an exciting drama, but it lacks a narrative binder. The common thread is the technical knot that Samuel tries to untangle, but there is hardly any progress in that untangling.

Still, ‘Pulsar’ is worth a look. The story has clever finds and the ending is as consistent as it is satisfying. Add to that the fact that this is a film that revolves entirely around main character Samuel, and then it is a blessing that it is played by top actor Matthias Schoenaerts. Charismatic is the least you can say. Tine van den Wijngaert also plays an excellent role as the uber-cute Mireille.

A good movie that could have been much better. A little more conviction in the plot, a little more nuanced in the message. It is obvious that technology sometimes falls short, but everyone knows that the internet can be very useful. And certainly the visitor of this site. However?