WHITE

The R-rated and subtitled movie, WHITE, is a droll tale of a man’s quest for revenge. Karol and Dominique marry and move from Poland to her native France. She then divorces him, steals his car, takes his money and every earthly possession, and lies to police claiming that he burned down her shop, forcing him to run from the authorities. Using every available means, including working several jobs, fraud and conspiring in a suicide/murder, Karol makes enough money to buy a small business which, in the newly capitalistic Poland, he is able to turn quickly into a successful enterprise. Karol then sets out to lure Dominique to Poland and thus into a trap of revenge.

This Polish story is told with a sophisticated touch and wry humor, resulting in a remarkable quietness which places a hush over the deep pathos of the protagonist. The film’s subtlety, however, dampens the moral lesson inadvertently illustrated through the two main characters: that revenge never satisfies–it only deepens the pain felt by both parties. Regrettably, the message of the futility of revenge is obscured by a beautiful but confusing closing scene, making the overall message of the film difficult to comprehend. Furthermore, WHITE contains some objectionable elements, such as fornication, violence, drunkenness, and revenge.