Enough (2002/I)

Synopsis: A woman who has been beaten by her husband runs away with their daughter.
Appraisal: Awfully written drama. One of the worst screenplays of recent years that got filmed. I agree that the director is a top professional, but this film is simply a waste of his skills. To counter the sensation of total waste of time, I have devised a new reading of the film, that gives it an allegoric dimension. In this new reading, this film is a allegory on the subject of addiction. An addictive substance or habit is, when one first makes its acquaintance, just like a very chivalrous and attractive man is to a woman. It seems to fill one's needs perfectly, asking nothing or very little in return. After a time, however, it invariably loses its initial aura, becoming more and more like a trap one can't get away from. The initial pleasure is replaced by numbness and even pain. The process of freeing oneself from addiction is a tough one. It is like the woman running from the possessive husband. As one caption suggests, she can run but she can't hide. Only a firm determination from the part of the addict can release him/her from the habit that now poses a threat on his/her life. There is a slightly different reading where we have an allegory on cinephilia. It is self-referential since it is the film itself -- it boasts a director of acknowledged competence and a writer who once gave us gems like 'At Close Range' -- that stands for the deceitful husband. We cinephiles are the poor beaten wife.
Rating: 15