The Souvenir

The Souvenir is a 2019 drama film written and directed by Joanna Hogg which stars Honor Swinton Byrne, Tom Burke, and Tilda Swinton. It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 27, 2019. It was released in the United States on May 17, 2019, by A24, and in the United Kingdom on August 30, 2019, by Curzon Artificial Eye. The film is a semi-autobiographical account of Hogg's experiences at film school. It received positive reviews from critics and has grossed $1.7 million worldwide.

Plot
A shy but ambitious film student falls into an intense, emotionally fraught relationship with a charismatic but untrustworthy older man.

Why It Rocks

 * 1) Mesmerizing performances from Honor Swinton Byrne (in her film debut) and Tom Burke.
 * 2) Speaking of the aforementioned leads, they have superlative chemistry. The relationship between their characters diligently explains the ups and downs of being with a romantic partner.
 * 3) Incredible and intelligent writing, direction, and screenplay. Thanks to it, the film is a deeply moving character piece that many people will resonate with.
 * 4) Like Portrait of a Lady on Fire, there's very little to no music in this movie, which allows viewers more of a chance to immerse themselves in the experience.
 * 5) In addition to its messages about romantic relationships, the film also deals with the theme of life in a relationship versus life outside of a relationship, and it gives viewers plenty to think about in that aspect.
 * 6) Exceptional cinematography that has sort of a 1980s feel to it.
 * 7) Absolutely beautiful scenery that fits with the movie's setting.
 * 8) The film is a slow burn. It starts low-key for over the first half and then gets more intense and more stressful as it progresses.

Bad Qualities

 * 1) The film is rather slow, so it may bore some viewers.
 * 2) Primarily considering the editing, the film is presented in a manner that isn't very straightforward so it has to be seen with an open mind in order for people to understand it. This may bore some mainstream viewers as well.

Reception
The Souvenir received critical acclaim. It holds an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 171 reviews. The consensus reads, "Made by a filmmaker in command of her craft and a star perfectly matched with the material, The Souvenir is a uniquely impactful coming of age drama." On Metacritic, the film received a weighted average rating of 91/100 based on 45 critics, indicating "universal acclaim." Film magazine publication Sight and Sound rated The Souvenir as the best film of 2019 in their polling of 100 film critics from around the world.

Despite very positive reviews from critics, the film received mixed reviews from audiences. It has a 36% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 521 reviews. On Google, only 52% of users who reviewed the film liked it. However, the film also holds a 6.8/10 audience rating on Metacritic, indicating "generally favorable reviews" as well as a 3.4/5 on Letterboxd.

Trivia

 * Honor Swinton Byrne is the daughter of actress Tilda Swinton. They appear alongside each other in this film, and ironically, their characters are mother and daughter as well.
 * Hereditary and Midsommar director Ari Aster called The Souvenir his favorite film of 2019.