‘Swan Song’ Review: A Tender, Terrific Weepie That Hits the Right Notes

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Writer-director Benjamin Cleary’s “Swan Song” wastes little time posing deep, morally complex and compelling questions: If we could spare our loved ones from oppressive despair and heartache, would…

) about the fast-spreading disease taking over his brain and his plan to take on the future even if he’s no longer in his current corporeal form. He seeks an experimental treatment from Arra Labs, headed up by Dr. Jo Scott and psychologist/lead technician Dalton , who clone their clients down to their molecular DNA and transfer their conscious and sub-conscious memories into a healthy duplicate. This revolutionary treatment comes with its own set of ethical challenges defying the laws of nature.

His reticence quickly fades after another seizure occurs, sending him on a week-long interlink “retreat” at the company’s remote, rain-drenched forest facility. Days are spent examining every minute facet of his memories, from his sweet meet-cute with Poppy on a train to their marital strife, both being affected by the death of her twin brother Andre . He also befriends another ailing patient, Kate , who lightly mentors him through the tough transition.

The narrative engages meaningfully with Cameron’s internal and external conflicts, as well as thematic ties to identity, personality and morality. The filmmakers lean into evolving emotional tones gracefully without being overly maudlin or saccharine. The “out of body” surrealist motif subtly threaded throughout the film’s fabric, from the sketches Cameron draws of a man floating in different spaces to his actual memory transference, is palpable and entrancing.

Spinning a winning, delicate love story would be almost impossible if not for the performances of the leads. Ali and Harris have impeccable chemistry, making us feel the profundity and stakes of their romantic relationship. Harris is dynamic, turning in work that’s filled with depth and dimension.

 

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Here is a lovely first review of Benjamin Cleary's SwanSong, with a special mention for stevefanagan for his Sound Design work.

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