Siberia

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Siberia
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Siberia is an offbeat journey of self-exploration through dreams and nightmares, with not much plot (and not to be confused with the same-named Keanu Reeves movie). One of many collaborations between director Abel Ferrara and actor Willem Dafoe, it's best either for dedicated fans of the duo or for viewers who know their psychology (Carl Jung is an inspiration). Expect frequent, graphic full-frontal nudity, both male and female; the main character has sex with several women. People are shot in the head, with blood spurts; a woman's body is shown cut open with what appears to be a bloody fetus (or a dead animal) between her legs; and a character is attacked by a dog, with growling and screaming. There are lots of sudden shocks, nightmare imagery, and other bizarre stuff. Characters drink in a bar and smoke, and teens drink at a party.
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What's the Story?
In SIBERIA, a man named Clint (Willem Dafoe) lives in a remote, snowy cabin and runs a makeshift bar for local patrons. Embarking on a kind of journey of self-discovery, he starts to experience a series of visions, or dreams, or nightmares. He makes love to women, falls off of a cliff, talks to his late father, rides a dog sled into the desert, meets a magician, has an argument with his ex-wife, and encounters a talking fish. What will Clint find when he comes out the other side?
Is It Any Good?
Sure to alienate casual viewers, this challenging, searching, strange odyssey may ensnare those who know their psychology or are more than passingly familiar with the work of director Abel Ferrara. Siberia -- not to be confused with the 2018 Keanu Reeves movie -- is the sixth collaboration between Ferrara and Oscar nominee Willem Dafoe; their intense, interior working relationship has Dafoe often playing on-screen surrogates for Ferrara, with their shared experiences shaping the stories. (Their last film was the more cohesive, emotional Tommaso.) This one, inspired by the writings of Carl Jung, is bizarre, often shocking, and sometimes absurd.
While many of Ferrara's films sneak in strange, startling moments that could almost be dreams or nightmares, he's essentially a realist, typically dabbling in scuzzy, urban landscapes and characters who've truly tasted of life. So he can't quite pull off an entire movie's worth of dream state. Even though many of the film's images are quite affecting, there's too much structure in Siberia, too many sharp angles. It doesn't flow as truthfully as, say, a David Lynch movie might. Yet the connective thread is Dafoe, with a fully committed, earnest performance of a man seeking compassion and understanding. It's a most unusual journey, and a mostly rewarding one.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Siberia depicts sex. What values are imparted? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.
How is violence depicted? How did it make you feel? Was it shocking or thrilling? What was shown or not shown?
What is the psychological theory behind this movie? Can people come to understand themselves through dreams?
How are movies like, and not like, dreams? Did this movie ever feel like a dream? Which movies effectively capture dream logic? How?
Movie Details
- In theaters: June 18, 2021
- On DVD or streaming: June 22, 2021
- Cast: Willem Dafoe, Simon McBurney, Dounia Sichov
- Director: Abel Ferrara
- Studio: Lionsgate
- Genre: Drama
- Run time: 92 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: strong sexual content, nudity/graphic nudity, some disturbing violence, and bloody images
- Last updated: March 31, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
For kids who love offbeat movies
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