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7

NightReviewsMar 28, 2014

I didn’t discover Lars von Trier until the tender age of twenty-two years old, and like so many others, it was all thanks to his shocking and highly controversial film Antichrist. In the midst of my growing cinematic knowledge, I becameI didn’t discover Lars von Trier until the tender age of twenty-two years old, and like so many others, it was all thanks to his shocking and highly controversial film Antichrist. In the midst of my growing cinematic knowledge, I became intrigued with von Trier’s body of work. Although I didn’t seem to have the stomach for the aforementioned film, I was curious and looked into his previous directorial efforts, like Manderlay and Dogville instead. Two years later, I got myself into the theatre and watched my very first von Trier film on the big screen, Melancholia. Even though my expectations for the film differed from the moment the film started, I knew I was experiencing something unique; a visceral film with hints of philosophical rants and raves, abstract imaging and a certain level of pretentiousness; unbeknownst to me at the time, the very ingredients to any good von Trier film. Fast forward another two years, and von Trier delivers his banned and highly provocative sexual epic; an oeuvre of bold claims, passionate sexual stylistics and raw sex, in two parts no less, that is not for the faint of heart.

Nymphomaniac: Volume I is a work of fine erotic art by an artist you cannot help but despise. Since his ‘persona non grata’ status from the Cannes film festival, von Trier has embraced his newest label as his work continues to be hardened, tough to swallow cinematic narratives, and Nymphomaniac: Volume I is no different. He may be coy, deceptive, arrogant, and manipulative, but von Trier’s work is undeniably passionate, wrought, and full of daring visual feats and narrative brevity.

The story begins, ends, and follows Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg) von Trier’s faithful muse in what he has called to described his Depression Trilogy, being followed only by Antichrist and Melancholia. Like the two previous entries in his Depression Trilogy, our female protagonist is on a journey of transcendence. But unlike the two previous entries which force the protagonist through a journey of self discovery resulting from a fateful tragedy that has plagued their lives, Joe’s harsh adversities are brought on to her by herself, or rather as von Trier repeatedly puts it, by the strongest human force we may ever experience–our sexuality. The idea of the defined version of nymphomania is never mentioned in volume I, and rightly so, because volume one does not deal with von Trier’s obsession with rectifying political correctness. Instead, volume I serves as a diabolically sinister exploration of one young girl’s sexual identity. Lars von Trier may very well be the face of cinematic hypocrisy, usually contradicting himself, but in this film von Trier dabbles in various religions, just like throughout his own life. Catholicism, the Protestantism, and atheism, it seems that the only aspect of each religion that interests this director extraordinaire is the idea of sin. In any of his films, the concept of sin survives well beyond any religion, and volume I attests to the sins of a public few, and a sheltered many.

We first find Joe (Gainsbourg) laying on the floor, in a position similar to Jesus Christ on the cross. Luckily for her, she is seen by Seligman (Stellan Skarsgård), who takes her into his home, offering her tea and a patient ear to hear how and why she ended up on the floor of an alleyway all battered and bruised. She explains that the way she got there begins the moment she was only two-years old and when she first discovered a fascination with her genitalia. An interesting observation to make clear is that, throughout the film, Joe seems to come from normal parents who suffer from some of the most common martial issues any couple could face; isolation, loneliness, falling out of love etc. Her father (Christian Slater) and mother (Connie Neilson) do not seem to share much together, other than a daughter and a home. Joe and her father spend hours upon hours walking through nature, looking for their ‘soul tree’ and passing through the history of nature and the importance of identity. Joe’s childhood is hypnotic and lucid, almost directly reflecting against the stark and bold future of her teenage years and callous adulthood. Throughout her youth and scenes with her father, we are sent through a dream; a dream of a little girl searching through innocence and righteousness, only finding a desire for pleasure and an orgasm.

Once she reaches the age of fifteen, Joe knows that she is ready to lose her virginity and wants Jerôme (Shia LaBeouf) to take it. She explains that she knew that she wanted him to be her first based on his hands; hands that were strong, experienced and dirty. Joe never is or becomes fascinated with the simple and explained notions of attraction; her desires are to be picked up, dumped, and used over and over again. Joe finds no pleasure in love. This notion alone, told throughout her story and the beginnings of her nymphomania told to Seligman (Skarsgård), is something he finds troubling to understand.… Expand

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9

jleven22Oct 6, 2014

I was tentative about this one. I love some of Von Trier; Dancer in the Dark is beautiful. Antichrist was true garbage to me-- gratuitous metaphors to the point of lacking metaphor. But this first volume of the film was truly somethingI was tentative about this one. I love some of Von Trier; Dancer in the Dark is beautiful. Antichrist was true garbage to me-- gratuitous metaphors to the point of lacking metaphor. But this first volume of the film was truly something special. Even though the narrative dialogue is a bit contrived, the story is extremely fluid and could only come from an educated mind, from someone who sees sex in a very realistic sense. It is an intellectual journey into the origins of misunderstanding and abuse of a psychologically affected girl. It is riveting and accurately emotional, and never plays it too heavy-handed.… Expand

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9

nirvanafreakOct 29, 2015

REVIEW FOR PART 1 AND 2:
Drama is sustained throughout the 5 hour film and it really feels like you've been on the same emotional journey as the characters in the movie. It's just set out in a way that makes it easy to relate/connect withREVIEW FOR PART 1 AND 2:
Drama is sustained throughout the 5 hour film and it really feels like you've been on the same emotional journey as the characters in the movie. It's just set out in a way that makes it easy to relate/connect with the characters… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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4

The3AcademySinsMar 6, 2019

Nymphomaniac is not great. Lars Von Trier spoon-feeds a lot of visual and themes to the viewer that used to be so subtle in his previous movies. The script sucks. I don't know how else to put it. Lengthy dialogues about fly fishing, linesNymphomaniac is not great. Lars Von Trier spoon-feeds a lot of visual and themes to the viewer that used to be so subtle in his previous movies. The script sucks. I don't know how else to put it. Lengthy dialogues about fly fishing, lines that people would never say even in surrealism, and overly repetitious scenes turn Nymphomaniac into a slow slog. In spite of some really good acting performances, it's hard to care about the characters as they are written. The movie looks strangely unfinished at parts, and that doesn't look stylistic, but lazy. However, some sequences are gripping, and Von Trier does at parts offer up a good view on human sexuality. If you're brave, I think you can find something here.… Expand

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10

blockofcheeseAug 7, 2014

sex epic... erotic dreamscape... this movie is alive! the preview intrigued me... Nymphomaniac has one great message; love. truly gripping story-telling. brilliant writing from Lars von Trier! crazy good cast every actor played their partsex epic... erotic dreamscape... this movie is alive! the preview intrigued me... Nymphomaniac has one great message; love. truly gripping story-telling. brilliant writing from Lars von Trier! crazy good cast every actor played their part well, top notch drama! A++… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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0

blunrg62Sep 18, 2015

I'm not a prude but this is trash!!!!!The abortion she gives herself is disgusting.The gang bang is just as bad.I was surprised to see real actors in this porn posing as a real movie.From as much as i could stand to watch this movie was justI'm not a prude but this is trash!!!!!The abortion she gives herself is disgusting.The gang bang is just as bad.I was surprised to see real actors in this porn posing as a real movie.From as much as i could stand to watch this movie was just an excuse to go through a series of tasteless porn scenes of the most filthiest nature. when watching a crack whore graphically getting boned in the anus by 2 of the biggest black guys they could find becomes art it will be a sad day for us all.… Expand

3 of 6 users found this helpful33

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10

ThegodfathersonMar 26, 2014

Nymphomaniac is a erotic drama that not only sticks with you throughout- it makes you keep your eyes open for the disturbing climax behind it. A very deep and engaging sex drama. Gettinsburg is excellent- one of the best female actresses ofNymphomaniac is a erotic drama that not only sticks with you throughout- it makes you keep your eyes open for the disturbing climax behind it. A very deep and engaging sex drama. Gettinsburg is excellent- one of the best female actresses of the year. And Wilem Dafoe is good as well. A must watch.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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8

magerbioMar 30, 2014

Novo projeto de Lars Von Trier, diretor de “Dogville”, Ninfomaníaca é um filme de mais de 5 horas que comercialmente foi dividido em duas partes, eis que o primeiro volume chegou aos cinemas brasileiros. Seligman, um grisalho senhor encontraNovo projeto de Lars Von Trier, diretor de “Dogville”, Ninfomaníaca é um filme de mais de 5 horas que comercialmente foi dividido em duas partes, eis que o primeiro volume chegou aos cinemas brasileiros. Seligman, um grisalho senhor encontra uma mulher ferida em um beco, Joe( interpretada por Charlotte Gainsbourg, atriz que também foi protagonista de “Anticristo”) e a leva para sua casa, onde depois de descansar ela começa a contar sua insólita história de compulsão sexual desde a tenra infância

O filme, que chegou a ser anunciado como escrachada pornografia não tem nada de excitante. Von Trier não tem intenção alguma de virar o novo Buttman (legendário diretor pornô) mas sim de explorar os horizontes da sexualidade humana com a frieza de um profissional de mecatrônica. Números e gráficos invadem a tela em vários momentos, seja durante a perda da virgindade de Joe, seja no simples ato da baliza pra estacionar um carro. O sexo é visto como um ato mecânico, frio e racional ara a obtenção do prazer e ponto final. Em determinado momento Joe e suas amigas adolescentes criam uma “guerrilha contra o amor romântico” com hinos blasfemos e compromisso do sexo pelo sexo

Joe cresce e vê seu hedonismo sexual enfrentando as primeiras rusgas com o mundo ao seu redor, seja no momento em que sua sexualidade colide com a instituição do casamento de uma rival, seja quando se vê confrontada com emoções humanas intimidadoras como o sofrimento pela perda iminente de um parente doente; sua resposta para qualquer sofrimento advindo desses dissabores é apenas mais sexo ainda, numa longa compensação que aparentemente resulta num longo arrependimento e auto-expiação na qual somos frustrados de descortinar, precisando aguardar até a segunda parte da história

Von Trier é macaco velho, sabe como filmar bem sua história, extrair dos atores boas atuações e pontuar o enredo com diversas citações eruditas e imagens diversas na exposição de suas metáforas. Ainda que tais imagens ilustrativas “encham um pouco a linguiça” elas não chegam a comprometer o filme. O que incomoda um pouco é o ritmo claudicante e a contribuição discutível que algumas passagens dão à compreensão da personalidade de Joe, mas em meio a costumeira pasmaceira dos lançamentos pasteurizados do cinema americano esse filme do diretor dinamarquês vale uma boa conferida… Expand

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0

bob13bobDec 6, 2014

Don't get me wrong, I like movies about sex (lust caution, skins televisions, lolita). I'm not a prude by any standard. I like low budget creative movies (memento, millers crossing, etc); groundbreaking and breath taking. I like moviesDon't get me wrong, I like movies about sex (lust caution, skins televisions, lolita). I'm not a prude by any standard. I like low budget creative movies (memento, millers crossing, etc); groundbreaking and breath taking. I like movies about FISHING (river runs through it). A movie with these characteristics can still be so repulsive.

The movie is a pretentious artistic porno in the worst way. An old man makes a movie about a young nympho girl, it’s worst than you’d expect. Absurd fly fishing metaphors oddly inserted throughout the narrative. Self indulgent crap fetish. All the characters ring false, unconvincing, crap dialogue, robotic. The artistic editing is awful, and it doesn't have any place with in this movie. The opening is 90sec of black screen silence, then followed by a another 90seconds of rain pattering on roof tops. There is a reason it's 5hours long. It's like an art school's student's first movie. that should be edited to 10min max.

The only hook in the movie is the audacity of sex = porno. remove the sex, and it’s obvious the characters plot are boring and trite. Young kids experimenting with sex and relationships with zero emotion. The removed all the intense lust, pain, anguish, love, impulsiveness and passion; a young person’s complex social hierarchy and how sex changes it..

It does so much disservice to it’s topic, which has the potential to be fascinating. I’ve love to see a movie about a sex obsessed young woman, that wasn’t so damn awful.… Expand

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1

FRanti01May 10, 2014

Un simple film pornographique du style Emmanuelle dont le but est de provoqué/déranger comme tout les film de ce réalisateur .
Les "vrai" acteurs étant doublé par des acteurs pornographique pour les tres nombreuses scenes de sexes , autantUn simple film pornographique du style Emmanuelle dont le but est de provoqué/déranger comme tout les film de ce réalisateur .
Les "vrai" acteurs étant doublé par des acteurs pornographique pour les tres nombreuses scenes de sexes , autant allé voir directement un vrai film pornographique .
Notons au passage , que les enfants de Charlotte Gainsbourg on été insulté/chahuté par leur camarade d'école et traumatisé à la sortie de ce film ....… Expand

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0

SleepingbeautySep 28, 2014

I was completely prepared to rip this movie a new hole ala my lambasting of "Blue is the warmest color," (see my review for that film) "Nymphomaniac" being the latest entry in the same type of European dogma-style attempt to make aI was completely prepared to rip this movie a new hole ala my lambasting of "Blue is the warmest color," (see my review for that film) "Nymphomaniac" being the latest entry in the same type of European dogma-style attempt to make a artistically valid pornographic movie but the movie (Nymphomaniac) was so beyond the pale of bad I can't summon anything even critical to say about it. It really is so bad it doesn't even deserve a juvenile thrashing. Thoughts of any sort are difficult to formulate around this film. It almost makes that travesty "Blue is the warmest color" look like competent film making.
I will say this though: critics of Blue often accused the director of that film, Abdellatif Kechiche of making a movie about a lesbian relationship while having no knowledge of lesbian sex. After watching Nymphomaniac Lars Von Trier appears to have no knowledge of heterosexual sex.… Expand

2 of 9 users found this helpful27

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7

MarcDoyleMar 21, 2014

This was one of my most anticipated movies of the year, and I was only slightly let down by it. Gainsbourg is great in the first part, though her role is almost entirely confined to that of a narrator. The visuals are amazing, and the storyThis was one of my most anticipated movies of the year, and I was only slightly let down by it. Gainsbourg is great in the first part, though her role is almost entirely confined to that of a narrator. The visuals are amazing, and the story is compelling. The supposed graphic nature of the sex is a bit overblown – you’ll see more in an episode of Girls these days. The primary weaknesses are an extended sequence with Uma Thurman, and a long/boring storyline with Christian Slater as the protagonist’s father. If they had simply trimmed or nixed each of these sequences, I would have given the film a 9 or higher. I’m hoping that part II will be a touch more streamlined. And I hope they expand on the humor found in the first part.… Expand

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5

MikefromAngusJul 6, 2014

The movie had a good beginning. it captured my interest, but when we have the scene with uma Thurman, the movie began to be non believable and the acting was over the top. I expected the movie to be a lot better and more deep.

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8

LeZeeMay 7, 2014

The Danish director Lars Von Trier is one of the rarest among who rapidly changes theme, plot and genre in his each movie. I love his filmography and been watching those for some time now. I am not a great fan of musical themes, but his movieThe Danish director Lars Von Trier is one of the rarest among who rapidly changes theme, plot and genre in his each movie. I love his filmography and been watching those for some time now. I am not a great fan of musical themes, but his movie 'Dancer in the Dark' is one of my all time favourites. These all led me here to take a quick glance on his latest two installment movie series.

This movie tells a story of a woman called Joe, who suffers from being a nymphomaniac. Especially this first movie briefs her life as a youngster who seeks a different class of men to fulfill her sexual thirst. This story was told in a series of flashbacks when middle aged Joe recalls her earlier story in the presence of an old man. The stories she told was presented in chapters like a book and each chapter contains different characters in different phases of her life. She spits all her secrets that were preserved so far which stuns the old man.

‘‘The secret ingredient to sex...
is love’’

In between the breaks of the chapters the old man brings up some comparison of book, history and art to her story. I don't know, Von Trier might thought to convince the audience by saying it is not just a fiction, but the reappearance of history in the modern world. Well, he succeeds, but some people won't agree for not shown in a decent manner. I mean everything in the movie was raw. It makes me think the world (filmmaking) is not anymore the same.

The commitment given by the actors were exceptional. The kind of shock that Von Trier gives through this movie will remain with me for a long time. He approached with this to the different class of audience where the majority will remain silent and away from it. This part was so much better as it stands true to its title where part 2 a bit reorders everything and travels in an alternate direction. Especially the end was so sudden and makes us to feel an incomplete. It is better to watch one after another without giving much space and that is how it works most probably.… Expand

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6

nicholasbertMar 27, 2014

Not at all deserving the fuss it has provoked: it fails to shock and it fails to bring a good story. The truly good parts are Stellan Skarsgard's character's comparisons.

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harryjcMar 13, 2017

The positive reviews here have to be all fake. This movie is awful. Even removing the smut there isn't really much of a story to this. It is neither entertaining, enlightening, or well written. Skip it.

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10

PanchogulSep 23, 2020

Considero tanto a la parte 1 como a la parte 2 como una sola película de casi 6 horas, así que mi comentario será mas bien general.

Nymphomaniac es para mi la película mas desenfadada de la Trilogía de la Depresión y al mismo tiempo la queConsidero tanto a la parte 1 como a la parte 2 como una sola película de casi 6 horas, así que mi comentario será mas bien general.

Nymphomaniac es para mi la película mas desenfadada de la Trilogía de la Depresión y al mismo tiempo la que mejor narrada y escrita está, mas allá del posible morbo que pueda generar, es una excelente película, es muy elocuente e interesante, Joe cuenta sus relatos de manera tan desinhibida que confiada que podrías escucharla hablarte hasta el cansancio, no se guarda ningún detalle y hasta el mas retorcido de ellos es fascinante de oír generando placer y extasis. Me encantó también todo el simbolismo y metáforas con las que el personaje de Stellan Skarsgard relaciona los acontecimientos de Joe y esta a su vez es receptiva y abierta al debate. Definitivamente ésta película forma parte de mis gustos más personales, definitivamente no es para todo el mundo, después de todo estamos hablando de Lars Von Trier.… Expand

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RavynousHunterDec 9, 2021

Another monotone borefest courtesy of Lars von Trier. Not one single character has any feeling in their voice, they sound as if they're reading aloud the contents of every single stop sign in DC. The incalculable boredom is compounded withAnother monotone borefest courtesy of Lars von Trier. Not one single character has any feeling in their voice, they sound as if they're reading aloud the contents of every single stop sign in DC. The incalculable boredom is compounded with a juvenile presentation of addiction and sex that would make a middle schooler cringe.

It literally tries to draw parallels between the lead "character's" life and fly fishing, as if this couldn't get any more dull. Its like the director tried to make porn with a plot, but failed to have anything interesting happen. Its all shock and no substance, like a link to an old school shock site with zero context.

Emotional investment is impossible. Lars should just give up and move to the San Fernando Valley. That's assuming anyone would want to tolerate his presence for more than a few minutes.… Expand

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8

TVJerryApr 5, 2014

A man (Stellan Skarsgård) discovers a woman (Charlotte Gainsbourg) lying in an alley, badly beaten. He takes her back to his room, where she proceeds to recount her early years and her extreme need for sex. This film confirms thatA man (Stellan Skarsgård) discovers a woman (Charlotte Gainsbourg) lying in an alley, badly beaten. He takes her back to his room, where she proceeds to recount her early years and her extreme need for sex. This film confirms that writer/director Lars Von Trier (Melancholia, Dance in the Dark, Breaking the Waves) is one of the most interesting and unique film artists working today. There are flashes of cinematic brilliance, sometimes lubricious intellectualization and a boldness in subject and form. Oh yes, and lots of matter-of-fact nudity and explicit (though not erotic) sex. The performances are rich with Uma Thurman's devastating brief appearance a highlight and Shia LaBeouf reminding us why he's a good actor. A compelling, audacious, stimulating experience.… Expand