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for larger version       MovieScope
The visual cacophony represents the world of stroke victim Jean-Dominique Bauby (Matthieu Amalric), jet-set editor of Elle fashion magazine, who in his early 40's was slammed with a devastating cardiovascular accident. It resulted in the rare disability called, "Locked-in Syndrome," allowing Bauby to think lucidly while imprisoned in his paralyzed body… paralyzed, except for his left eyelid. We hear his often sarcastically liberating thoughts in the form of an ongoing commentary, which slowly explains his horrific dilemma and provides pointed observations about doctors, nurses, therapists and family members. His two speech therapists, Henriette (Marie-Josée Croze), and Claude (Anne Consigny), are quite beautiful, at first making life even harder for the playboy ("It's not fair!" he mentally exclaims).
Without direct dialogue, Bauby manages a number of powerfully moving confrontations with his ex-wife Céline (Emmanuelle Seigner), girlfriend Josephine (Marina Hands) and shutin father Papinou (Max von Sydow). The one involving Josephine has the further complication of an intimate phone conversation because she cruelly refuses to come to the hospital ("I want to remember you as you were")… made meaner when Céline must act as Bauby's blink interpreter. A recent past memory of Papinou has Jean-Dominique shaving his father, unknowing that the tables will soon be turned. Yet, on the phone, Dad tearfully remarks that they are both shut-ins within different prisons.
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" is a movie not to be missed. What's unfortunate is that Jean-Dominique Bauby did. He died 10 days after the publication of his book.
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