The Diving bell and the Butterfly
Too vague for a movie title, uh? Not exactly. It is a well thought metaphor for the inner and outer worlds of a man completely physically paralyzed due to locked-in syndrome.
As soon as the titles displayed against X-Rays end, you get to see some vague images. Like, some one trying too hard to open their eyes. Discrete, unclear images. Slowly, you see two people in white uniforms – is it a Hospital? – Ah, yes the Good Samaritan among them looks at the camera and gets excited. “He has opened his eyes” – he shouts. “Call the doctor”. The doctor comes annoyingly close to the camera, talks in a low voice that shows no signs of any excitement and asks “Can you tell me your name”? “Jean-Dominique Bauby” – you hear a voice. The doctor looks blank for a few seconds. Then he goes – “Can you please recollect your name?” “Jean-Dominique Bauby, Doctor!” The Doctor looks dejected – “He is not responding”. “What the ?? Doctor, can’t you hear me??”
Oh, Jean-Dominique Bauby lost his ability to speak. Along with his ability to move. But he is sound mentally, his memories are intact, his imaginations restless, his sarcastic whip waiting to unwind.
Jean-Dominique Bauby is torn between two worlds after a sudden massive stroke. The inner world – he is the just the same here – active and energetic – giving no rest to his creative brain – he was a editor of a most popular magazine after all – his imaginations and memories hovering like a butterfly from one flower to another.
But, for the outer world, he is just a vegetable, showing no signs of life, except a blink of his left eye. Locked-in Syndrome, the one which has devastated him, is like a diving bell pulling him to a deep sea, into a vague mysterious place.
“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” (TDBB) is a moving cinema. It is based on a real life story, adapted to screen from the book of same name. Yeah, Jean-Dominique Bauby is a real life character, the editor of the same magazine mentioned in the movie, and did everything and experienced everything shown in this movie. It is depressing, to say the least!
But thankfully, TDBB is not an out and out a sobbing drama, because Bauby is not that kind. He is quick and clever witted, sarcastic, confident and courageous. Unlike other movies based on rare-disease-of-the-year, TDBB is poignant, honest and lovely.
The therapists identify a process that would help Bauby to communicate. Take a list of the most frequently used alphabets, read them to Bauby constantly looking into his left eye. When the desired alphabet is reached, Bauby would blink his eye. This way, alphabets are grouped into words, words into sentences! When this method is tried for the first time, the therapist assures him that he can complain by blinking his eye twice, if she is too fast. She starts – “E………….. A………………. I……….” Bauby thinks, “You stupid cow! That is too slow!!”
It must have been very painful, right? But, wait! This one great man, went on to dictate an entire book named “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”, through such a painful communicating process. Welcome to the world of Jean-Dominique Bauby, a stunning embodiment of courage and confidence!
Bauby’s three kids, mistress, recent muse contribute some warm sequences, but its Bauby’s father 
who wins hands down. This is one of the best Father-Son portrayals I have ever seen. I bet you would move to tears.
And this is direction at its best! For the first one hour, the entire narrative is strictly from his inner world, you look through his eyes effectively, thanks to the splendid camera work. And when you become so familiar and intimate to Bauby’s inner world, all of a sudden the narrative cuts to the “outer-world” – and to see Bauby from outside – it is horrifying, shocking and sickening. And at that point itself, the movie achieves more than what it intends to.
There is one brilliant sequence when people from Telephone works visit Bauby. It is such a sharp direction that you feel, the depressing gap between his inner world and the outer world, as much as Bauby can. No, am not revealing it. It is reserved for those of you gonna check out this movie.
A special mention for the dialogues – real at times, poetic at times and funny at times. Sample this – “Here we are. Father’s Day. I guess that even a rough sketch, a shadow, a tiny fragment of a dad is still a dad. Father’s Day. My son wiping the saliva that escapes my closed lips”
There is very limited performance in this movie. Half of the movie is through the protagonist’s eyes; the rest is on him, unable to talk. The only thing I have to say about his performance is – “Poor fellow, his jaws should have pained like hell!”
Woww!! – The Oscar Nominated and Cannes winning direction. Dialogues.
Awwww!! – Few ‘fantasy’ sequences which are unfathomable. But it is a minor thing. Don’t mind.
Verdict – Go for it.
