Groundbreaking new Australian film: Coma

Quite fitting that this film should drop in the same year as the challenging and twisted Kinds of Kindness; which repulses in direct contrast to how Coma draws us in. While  Yorgos Lanthimos's work leaves us feeling challenged and ostracised, Saara LAmberg's new offering brings us along on a journey into a view from a comatose main character.

It's a fascinating premise which stems from some of Lamberg's recent personal experiences. One aspect which is wonderful about this film is that when people talk about it the most incredible stories emerge. For example my brother who is an intensive care nurse tells the story of a friend of his who was nursing a woman in a coma and would wash her hair once a week. As she was washing she would talk to the woman about her failed romances and poor relationship choices. I believe it was expected that this lady would not make it and the nurse was devastated one day when she arrived for her shift and the bed was empty. Amazingly the lady had recovered and was in a different ward. The nurse had to see her and say hello. The formerly comatose lady was thrilled to see the nurse and told her that she was so deathly bored during the time she was in the coma and the voice, stories and touch of the nurse were really helpful to keeping her sane.

Lamberg ponders this sort of concept in Coma. Can a person in a coma see and hear what is happening around them? How do people behave when they are spending time with a comatose friend or relative. In this film she places enormous trust in her actors as she has them, with snippets of guidance, develop their own improvised dialogue (monologue). The risk really pays off in a film that feels very natural and flows very smoothly, largely because the genius of Adelaide's own, John Couper-Smartt, a short film maker in his own right; showing his aptitude and impeccable artistry on the edit. For a film based around a person unconscious on a bed this film is full of movement and action with cuts to external shots and outdoor scenes which seem to show the thought patterns of a comatose person. I was utterly convinced and I think many of the audience there on the screening I attended were similarly moved. What an achievement!

 I hope this film gets shown at festivals around the world as it really is a masterclass on editing and on a Director trusting the abilities of her cast.  I hope I get a chance to see it again with friends in other states. It's wonderful to see a good solid low budget independent film that is well worth the watch!

Pretty much as good as it gets. This comes after I just rewatched Pulp Fiction tonight on the big screen. I think Quentin Tarantino would love to have this film at one of his cinemas!

Nimal Jayawardhana November 4th, 2024.

Next screens at the Picadilly in North Adelaide on Wed 6th November, 2024

https://wallis.com.au/films/coma-conversations-with-spithead/