Tabu 2012

Ty Burr, Boston Globe: It almost seems a parody of willfully obscure art-house fare. Yet it has an undertow that sucks you in as often as it strands you back on shore. Read more

A.O. Scott, New York Times: Its artfulness seems like an alibi, an excuse for keeping the ugliness of history out of the picture. Read more

John Hartl, Seattle Times: A kind of jigsaw puzzle, spiced up with references to "White Mischief," "Out of Africa" and "The Snows of Kilimanjaro," that will frustrate some audiences and fascinate others. Read more

Scott Tobias, AV Club: Droll, mysterious, enchanting, and altogether singular. Read more

Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: The audience is left to imagine much of the story, though it is clear it involves love, betrayal, guilt, regret and a recurring crocodile. Read more

Richard Brody, New Yorker: A brilliantly nuanced, deeply imagined psycho- excavation of modern Europe by the Portuguese director Miguel Gomes. Read more

Ian Buckwalter, NPR: Few films are this smart about subtly couching their allegorical aspirations within more straightforward narratives; fewer still are able to do so with such energetically inventive virtuoso style. Read more

Farran Smith Nehme, New York Post: Portuguese director Miguel Gomes' latest film moves through different styles and eras, and proves that shooting in black and white is as versatile as it ever was. Read more

Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com: If you have the patience to watch this film develop and unfold, like some bizarre night-blooming orchid, what you'll see is not just the last movie released in 2012, but possibly the most original of them all. Read more

Tony Wong, Toronto Star: The reward is a stunning photographic narrative - a love story told as sweeping parable. But to get there takes an investment by the viewer. Read more

Ben Walters, Time Out: Evoking work as disparate as that of Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Guy Maddin and Claire Denis - with a dash of 'The Artist' thrown in - 'Tabu' is a tantalising trip. Read more

Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out: Churlish though it sounds, you'll want to arrive for this b&w Portuguese drama about 45 minutes late. Read more

Jay Weissberg, Variety: Miguel Gomes begins Tabu in a seemingly ridiculous vein and unexpectedly shifts to something surprisingly enriching and poetic. Read more

Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice: A lyrical Old Hollywood melodrama projected on a bedsheet? A celluloid curio a la Barnum's Fiji mermaid? At such times, it's better to stick with a simple "wonderful." Read more

Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post: It takes a while to get to the meat of the movie, but it's well worth the wait. Read more