Memorable Central Character Drives Depressing ‘Bullhead’

Printer-friendly versionE-mail page to friendPDF version

Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – The central character in the Oscar-nominated “Bullhead” is a force of nature not unlike Jake La Motta in Scorsese’s “Raging Bull” or the title character in Refn’s “Bronson.” He is less human than hormone as he injects himself with steroids like a bull being fattened to make better steaks. And his story is clearly one that it is going to end tragically. This dark, vicious film gets a bit muddled at times but the strength of its lead performance and a strong visual palette make it a stark but worthwhile trip.

Jacky Vanmarsenille (Matthias Schoenaerts) is introduced threatening a man. He’s an enforcer, the kind of guy who can put those he speaks to on edge just by his very presence. He’s hulking, lurching, and his eyes always look partially closed. He also seems like a shell of a man, pure testosterone with less and less humanity with every injection into his ass or pill down his gullet. But there are glimpses, mostly through Schoenaerts’ excellent performance, of the human under the bull-like exterior.

Bullhead
Photo credit: Drafthouse Films

Jacky works in a shady industry – illegal trafficking of hormones for beef production. After a police officer investigating the unusual criminal industry is shot, an informer named Diederik Maes (Jeroen Perceval) comes back into Jacky’s life. It’s here where we learn why Jacky is the way he is through a series of flashbacks. Twenty years ago, Jacky and Diederik were friends. They happened upon a pretty girl in the neighborhood the way that boys do when the girl’s brother grabbed young, wide-eyed, sweet-looking Jacky and forever mutilated him by pounding his testicles with rocks. For the rest of his life, Jacky would be forced to take the hormones and steroids to try to make him feel like a man. And Diederik couldn’t tell the truth about the assault because of the power of the criminal’s father. Their friendship was shattered.

Diederik returning into Jacky’s life sets things in motion for the hulk of a man. Jacky finds the girl (Jeanne Dandoy) who was sort of the inciting incident for the most important day of his life. He tries to woo her but his animal nature takes over when another man blocks him at a bar. Meanwhile, Diederik tries to protect Jacky from the investigation getting closer and closer to the man for whom he still feels guilt over his inability to provide justice or protection. It’s a lot of plot for one movie and I’ve barely skimmed the surface of the gangster arc.

Bullhead
Photo credit: Drafthouse Films

It’s too much plot. “Bullhead” can be strikingly unfocused at times. It’s tonally inconsistent. I really liked the film when it took its time to tell Jacky’s story. Some of director Michael Roskam’s visual choices can be mesmerizing, such as the way he shoots down on Jacky as he’s trying to reconnect with Lucia at a bar and then shoots up at him during a more violent scene shortly thereafter. He’s a sad creature from above as his eyes droop and he seems vulnerable. He’s an imposing figure from below. These kind of smart visual decisions along with a very focused and memorable lead performance elevate “Bullhead” above the flaws of its script, one that should have either expanded upon the underworld arc to make it more resonant or ditched it entirely.

There’s also a bit of predictability in the story as it’s tragically clear that Jacky’s attempts at happiness are unlikely to end well. The bull metaphor is strong and it’s not often that the bull is let out of the ring to live a happy life after the fight. When one thinks back on “Bullhead,” it seems like the storytelling really couldn’t have gone any other way. I won’t really remember the story of “Bullhead” for long. However, I have a feeling that Jacky Vanmarsenille is going to be a tough character to shake.

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com