‘Another End’ Review: A Faulty Futuristic Fable – Berlin Film Festival
What would you do if you could extend loved ones’ lives through their memories?
Another End, the latest film directed by Piero Messina and his writing team including Giacomo Bendotti, Valentina Gaddi and Sebastiano Melloni, boasts a cast led by Gael García Bernal, Renate Reinsve and Bérénice Bejo. It aspires to weave a complex narrative exploring the boundaries of human connection, the grieving process and the possibility of extending life through technological means. Yet, despite its ambitious premise, the film falls short of its potential, unraveling as a perplexing and ultimately unrewarding cinematic experience.
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In a world where technology blurs the lines between life and death, Sal (Bernal) experiences a haunting blend of grief and hope. He visits an elderly couple; as they share tea, a disturbing scene unfolds. Men in white coats arrive, sedate the old man, wrap him in a white tarp, and whisk him away to Another End, a skyscraper where the dead are given new life by transferring their consciousness into compatible living hosts with promises to alleviate the pain of loss. Grieving the loss of his girlfriend Zoe, Sal finds himself at a crossroads when his sister Ebe (Bejo), an employee at the company, offers him a chance to reconnect with Zoe. Despite initial reservations, Sal agrees to have Zoe’s memories implanted into Ava (Reinsve), a host, hoping to relive their shared moments.
The company meticulously removes any familiar objects from Sal and Zoe’s shared apartment to assist in helping the host adjust. Preventing “contamination” or memory melting into the host consciousness could jeopardize the authenticity of the memory simulation. This simulation, however, is temporary, designed to aid in the grieving process by providing closure before permanently erasing the memories from the host.
Through this journey, Sal confronts the painful truth that clinging to the past can lead to further trauma. Another End symbolizes the quest for closure and the painful but necessary process of moving on.
The script, while ambitious, is laden with philosophical musings that often feel detached from the emotional core of the story. It never fully commits to exploring the psychological and ethical implications of its premise. The writers attempt to tackle grandiose themes of what it means to be human in the age of technological advancement, but the dialogue frequently veers into pretentiousness, leaving me to wonder what is the film’s narrative anchor.
Moreover, the film’s pacing is lethargic, with a runtime that stretches the viewer’s patience. The central message — that moving on from loss is a necessary part of the human experience — becomes apparent early on, yet Another End reiterates this point without offering new insights or developments. This redundancy is exacerbated by a late-game plot twist that feels both unearned, failing to provide the emotional payoff or resolution the story desperately needs.
Compounding these narrative shortcomings is the film’s failure to address fundamental questions about its own world-building. The motivations behind individuals’ willingness to become hosts for the deceased are left unexplored, a glaring omission that undermines the believability of the film’s premise. The lack of clarity regarding the societal and personal implications of the memory transfer technology suggests a missed opportunity to engage with the moral complexities inherent in such a world.
Despite the film’s narrative and thematic failings, it is visually striking. Cinematographer Fabrizio La Palombara crafts a bleak yet visually arresting world, with stylized visuals that occasionally elevate the world the film exists in. Also, Bernal and Reinsve’s performances are the glue that holds this story together by authentically expressing the profound grief and desperation of their characters, but the script does not allow either of them enough space to fully develop their internal turmoil or moral conflict.
Another End’s potential could resonate deeply in an era where the digital and the biological converge, challenging our perceptions of identity and the sanctity of human memory. But its attempt to navigate the intricate dance between life, loss and love in a technologically advanced future stumbles due to its own narrative indecision.
Title: Another End
Festival: Berlin (Competition)
Director: Piero Messina
Screenwriters: Piero Messina, Giacomo Bendotti, Valentina Gaddi, and Sebastiano Melloni
Cast: Gael García Bernal, Renate Reinsve, Bérénice Bejo, Olivia Williams, Pal Aron
Running time: 2 hr 9 mins
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