'Ida' A Review

Ida is a Polish historical drama about a young novice nun who is told by her prioress that she must visit her family before taking her vows. Ida(Agata Trzebuchowska) finds and visits her aunt Wanda(Agata Kulesza) an alcoholic judge for the Stalinist regime. Ida discovers from her aunt that she is actually a Jew whose parents were killed during WWII. Ida and Wanda return to Ida's home to discover the circumstances of her parents death.

The film is shot in a beautiful and rich black and white. The visual tone conveying a sense of both yearning and melancholy. The cinematography is so evocative it is as equal a presence as the two stellar lead performances. Trzebuchowska gives a reserved yet soulful performance, conveying more with her silences than with her words. She plays the complex emotions of the character with a profound sense of truth and incredible empathy. Kulesza's Wanda is much more energized and active. Her constantly simmering rage is tempered only by her self-loathing, her sense of entitlement and resentment palpable, with a deep ocean of sorrow beneath all the brashness. Kulesza's performance is so dynamic you cannot take your eyes off of her, she's a live wire, passionate, vivacious, and courageous. A performance of the year.

Alluring, heartbreaking, and extremely poignant.

See It.