Flow
“Flow” is cinema as stream of conscious. Though I have no doubt co-writer/director Gints Zilbalodis meticulously planned every event that takes place in this 85-minute film, it feels like a story that unfolds as naturally as life itself. It begins with a cat, then a chase, then a flood, then survival, then friendship that transcends typical adversarial relationships. It might be my favorite cinematic experience of the year; it is one intended to uplift and inspire, and let’s face it, that is needed now more than ever.
There is not a word of dialogue spoken in this film. It is all natural sounds of the animals and the world around them. You will not miss dialogue at all. Zilbalodis and his animators have done something miraculous in this movie- they create animal characters that act like animals. Yes, there are situations where human actions- like steering a boat, or pulling rope- are necessary, but these characters never stray far from being believable animals. Those actions are the exception, not the rule, and important to have the story move forward. How the filmmakers counterbalance that is creating a fantasy world that feels like our own, but has plenty of things that challenge our sense of the natural world. This is part of why it feels like a stream of conscious film- “Flow” feels like ideas flow from the filmmakers not because they planned it that way, but because it felt like the next logical step for them in the story they are telling.
Our protagonist is a black cat, and I’m not going to lie- my thoughts went to our cat Midnight, who was also a black cat, and whom we had to say goodbye to at the end of the summer. Though he had nerve damage in his hind quarters that caused him to walk kind of funky, the personality and curiosity (and speed and invention) of the cat in “Flow” reminded me of Midnight, before age and his ability to walk made it just a bit hard to get around. I’m sure a lot of cat owners will feel the same, as the cat begins by being chased by dogs after taking their fish, and then has to survive the flood by staying above the waters as much as possible. Even though we know we will be following the cat for 80-plus movies, Zilbalodis understands the importance of suspense in a narrative, especially one driven by action, and not dialogue. Once they make it on the boat, and their circle of companions begins to fill out (a capybara, a secretarybird, a ring-tailed lemur and a Labrador who was following the cat as the flooding occurred), there are plenty of opportunities for further drama as the animals act like, well, animals.
The animation of “Flow” will not hit the same way we’ve grown accustomed to Pixar and Dreamworks landing. There’s something almost more painterly to Zilbalodis’s approach than those, but it’s not quite Miyazaki and Ghibli. The closest comparison to be made is actually with the mid-’90s computer games MYST and RIVEN. That may set off alarm bells, as certainly computer animation has progressed since then, but the fantasy world of “Flow” benefits from its style, which makes it feel more fantastical. As I mentioned earlier, this is a film where we will recognize pieces of the world we live in (after going through a submerged city that feels like a fever dream of Venice, Italy, the animals reach a point where the cat goes up a mountain that feels like it’s in the Himalayas), but put together in a way that makes no logical sense, except in how it is governed (or not governed) by natural law. There is one moment, on that mountain, that defies natural logic, but it feels like an otherworldly occurrence that is earned in the moment than a violation of the rules of this world. This is one of the most extraordinary visions of the year.
Because of the lack of dialogue, and the emphasis on sound effects, music is invaluable to a film telling a story this way. The score for “Flow” is by Zilbalodis and Rihards Zalupe, and it is a mix of electronic ideas with orchestral tones that just exhilarates me to listen to. Like the animation style, this is returning to the electronic moods of a MYST, and its spiritual nature just captivates me, and moves me terribly. This is the type of score that gets me excited for the possibilities of film music, at the service of a film that will uplift anyone who feels let down by the real world right now. We need more films like “Flow” in our lives.
