Pity

Pity, directed by Babis Makridis and released in 2018, is a dark and satirical drama that ventures into the realms of tragedy, mundane obsessions, and human melancholia. The film stars talented actors like Yannis Drakopoulos, Evi Saoulidou, and Makis Papadimitriou. The screenplay, written by Babis Makridis and Efthymis Filippou (known for his collaborations with Yorgos Lanthimos in acclaimed movies like The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer), is a Greek film that investigates the tragicomic elements of human nature.

The story unfolds in Athens and revolves around the protagonist, played by Yannis Drakopoulos, an unnamed lawyer dealing with the ailing health of his wife. He develops an unhealthy craving for sympathy and condolences that basks in the warmth of a tragic existence. Thematically, Pity leans into the beautiful paradox that while misery and suffering are constant sources of pain, they can also become a comfort, a shield against the harshness of a normal life devoid of any palpable drama. It is this paradox that runs like a thread through the script, connecting the premise and characters in a complex web of emotional dependency.

The titular character, interpreted by Drakopoulos, carries out an absorbing portrayal. His stoic face depicts a rich canvas of suppressed emotions - the poker face hides immense sorrow, fuelling his twisted thirst for compassion. Through this character, the film raises critical questions about human behaviour - our attraction towards tragedy, our need for empathy, and, paradoxically, the comfort we often find in our despair.

Evi Saoulidou and Makis Papadimitriou lend solid support, each carrying their own burden of sorrow in the narrative, subtly accentuating the movie's tragicomic tone. Saoulidou's character provides a nuanced exploration of wifehood and motherhood, from the ambivalence of watching a significant other spiral into sorrow to the joys and heartaches of raising a child. Papadimitriou, on the other hand, delivers a steady portrayal of a friend trapped in the protagonist's mourning cycle, unwittingly providing the comfort the protagonist seeks.

Throughout the film, director Babis Makridis skillfully uses minimalistic cinematography to amplify the central theme’s impact. His vision is transferred on screen with particular attention to the use of color tones mirroring the narrative's melancholic undertones, with rich contrasts between the warm hues of empathy-filled situations and the cool tones of the protagonist's desolate reality.

Similarly, the film's subtlety extends to the sound design, with a masterful blend of natural sounds with the intrusive silence, underscoring the protagonist's emotional state. The sparing use of music places dramatic emphasis on dialogue and situational sounds, adding depth to the narrative's emotional beehive.

In terms of plot structure, Pity resonates with what has come to be known as Greek "weird wave" cinema, favoring a slow-burning narrative composed of everyday situations laced with dark humor and psychological tension over fast-paced action or straightforward storytelling. Instead, the narrative probes beneath the surface of daily life, revealing the psychological complexities that can lurk in ordinary-seeming souls.

There's a certain absurdity to the storyline of Pity that might not sit well with everyone, but those who enjoy their cinematic experiences dark and contemplative grow to embrace this film's peculiar charm. It explores how tragedy can be minified, magnified, glorified or vilified, based on our personal experiences and how they intersect with the lives of others.

While steeped in melancholy, Pity does not shy away from using humor to highlight the quirks of our emotional dependencies. Wry observations underscored by dark humor expose our strange and fascinating addictions to elements of life that we typically work to avoid. The humor, much like the film, is not of the loud, laugh-out-loud variety, but the slow chuckle-under-your-breath one, which, once understood, deepens the appreciation of the film's absurdity.

Overall, Makridis' Pity is a thought-provoking exploration of sadness and its morphing into an addictive comfort. While it might seem bleak, it still manages to capture a unique perspective of life's ironies, rounded out with solid performances and a thoughtful narrative. The film silently but forcefully urges us to reflect on the strange attachments we-the humans, the fundamentally social animals-develop with our emotions and the poignantly ironic situations we often put ourselves in to fuel these attachments.