Decalogue, The - IX: "Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbor's Wife." (1989)

Kieslowski's Decalogue

Even if thy neighbor's wife is a man...

Genre: Drama (Poland)

Starring: Ewa Blaszczyk, Piotr Machalica

Directed By: Krzysztof Kieslowski (The Double Life Of Veronique; Three Colours Trilogy)

Overview: When a man discovers he's impotent, he suggests to his wife that she take a lover.  Initially she refuses, but reconsiders rather quickly, all while her husband spies.

Performance:

What impresses me most about The Decalogue is that each short film has characters with real human flaws.  In a bout of self-loathing, the impotent man says, "you should go find someone who can give you what you need." The wife immediately comes to his side, saying that his love IS what she needs. From this short exchange both characters considers the option, driving him to jealously and driving her into the arms of another. All because of one little moment of self-deprecation.  Well done. 
Rating: 8

Cinematography:

Heavy focus on the watchful style, we also have more than one moment with the Watcher, a quiet character in most of the other episodes of this serial.  I'd even say that it's the most 'character building' episode for him.  We see him several times and in each, he does nothing to act or help.  He merely watches, clearly judging harshly the events taking place.  
Rating: 8

Script:

Dialogue heavy, we really don't focus on the nuance of the characters as much as we did with Decalogue VII, for example. I'd even go so far as to say that the lady isn't explored in any real detail, and since she acts logically, we don't really need to expose what's known. Perhaps this story is so easy to tell, it seems all too standard...
Rating: 7

Plot:

It's good to see that the 'man coveting' is in fact a woman, but as stories go I found it fairly transparent.  Perhaps you'll enjoy the natural route this takes, but for as much as I enjoyed it, I found the tale rather rote. I guess when you base stories on true events, high on believability leaves for light on the melodrama.
Rating: 7

Mood:

Very enjoyable symbolism is this one.  Right after revealing that he's impotent we have a scene where a man plunges a funnel with a thick-headed curved hose into his gas tank and pours gasoline in the top. We also see our impotent male cycling along a bumpy road on a ten-speed bike, hunched over, bouncing over and over, up and down on his seat.  Funny moments like these are a refreshing change from the more poignant symbolism that we're used to seeing.
Rating: 8

Sucks to have a wink that's all shrink and no dink...

Overall Rating: 76% (Could Have Been More Potent)

Aftertaste:

The first great punch-in-the-gut smash of bad 80s fashion kicks in high gear for Decalogue IX.  Our favorite hussy has just a touch of the glam fashion and hairstyle in the beginning, but imagine a ski outfit whose back is a one-piece blue snowsuit with red stars on white shoulders, and the front has white and yellow vertical stripes, ouch.  How can anyone take a harlequin seriously?  Talk about outright asking to be dumped!