The Secret Life of Words (2006)

A solitary young woman (Sarah Polley) is encouraged by her employer to take a vacation. Though she clumsily attempts to do so, she winds up taking a short-term job as a caretaker for a seriously injured man on an oil rig instead.

I liked the foreign terrain of being above vast ocean in a metal island -- a world of its own. I enjoyed watching Polley allow herself to forge relationships when it was so clear that she'd not done so for quite some time (it is worth noting that I have no idea whether her accent was brilliant or comical since I have no idea how it SHOULD sound). I also loved the soundtrack, though it didn't seem to really fit with the action...well, inaction, in the case of this movie.

What I didn't like was the fact that I was more confused at the end of the movie than I was during it (and that's saying quite a lot). I was never quite sure who the sing-songy narrator was and she, frankly, creeped me out. I've read a couple of bulletin boards explaining what was going on -- but I'm not sure any of the interpretations are correct and, really, this movie isn't such a wonder that I'm gonna spend much time on dissection.

C