Caché a.k.a Hidden (2005)

If you went to the theatre expecting a conventional thriller, you would obviously have been disappointed. Because it lacks most of the elements of a stereotypical psychological thriller like hyper background music, primordial screams and people running for their lives. Then again Caché is not your run of the mill psychological thriller.

This story of Georges and Anne unfolds in a way such that with each growing moment our uneasiness increases. From the first scene which is a long shot of their house, we sense something off-key. The amateurish feel of that shot conveys that it is actually someone else filming the house. And that is the key element of the story. The trouble starts with the couple getting tapes accompanied by infantile drawings of violent images.

The role of Anne is played by Juliet Binoche. (Who happens to be one of my favorite actresses. And also one actress whom I firmly believe that wakes up looking as beautiful as she is the movies). She handles the role with absolute ease. She portrays that blend of anxiety, anger and suspicion in an effortless manner. For someone who played the lead in "The Unbearable Lightness of Being", "Chocolat" and "The English Patient" this must have been a walk in the park.

Georges is played by Daniel Auteuil. He portrays a man stricken with guilt, anxiety and absolute fear in a very convincing manner.

Michael Haneke uses deft lighting, unconventional comera angles and prelonged silences to make us squirm in our seats. He defies conventional principles which dictate that a movie should answer all questions it initiates. Maybe it does. Maybe the answers are just Caché

There are couple of scenes of explicit violence. The way they catch you offguard is the troubling part rather than the scenes themselves.

My rating : 4/5