Netflix' "Pieces of a Woman" is a work of art

The Oscar-Contenders 2021, Film #20

Rating: 8/10

Watched in: Cairo, Egypt

No other film this year surprised me as much as Pieces of a Woman did. This is one of those films which hit differently, which just touch you in a way that you haven't felt before. Pieces of a Woman combines techniques already used in masterpieces of the last decade, especially Her and Manchester by the Sea.
The second one created an extremely strong emotional impact by showing us not primarily the scenes which are considered „sad“ in first line, like a funeral etc., but by showing us the moments inbetween, the „real“ moments, in which grief and sadness suddenly overcome us. Everyone who has lost a loved one will understand what I'm talking about: it's often in every-day moments that we suddenly get reminded of their death (the freezer scene in Manchester by the Sea), or that we realize that they are simply gone.
Pieces of a Woman uses the same technique: instead of showing us the exact moment in which the baby dies, the moments in which they have to tell their family and friends about the tragic incident or the couple's fights afterwards, the film shows us only the moments inbetween – how the characters behave in normal situations, how they are incapable of following the same routine as before. Communication problems, incapability to have sex, etc.- these are the moments in which it really shows what the tragedy destroyed, and Pieces of a Woman concentrates mostly on these. The effect is an incredible rawness and a very honest and realistic feeling, as if the audience is participating in the characters real lifes.
The second film that this was heavily influenced by is Spike Jonze's Her. There is obviously the calm and melancholic rhythm of the film, but even more than that, it's the visual style which resembles Her so much. So far, Pieces of a Woman is one of the most aesthetically pleasant films of the decade. Soft images with perfectly balanced lighting, an inexplicably beautiful way of focussing on the foreground and blurrying the background (how snowflakes almost come alive here!), an incredible cinematography (not only, but especially the single shot in the beginning) and a minimalist production design with an amazing choice of colors dominate the film's visuals. The cinematography adapts perfectly the film's mood in each scene, mostly by staying extremely close to the main characters and by showing only what really needs to be shown – in the scene in which they talk to a doctor for example, the doctor is only shown one single time at the end of the scene in the background. 
Due to these impeccable shots and ingenious artistic decisions, the film keeps its hypnotical effect throughout the whole runtime. Every single frame is a painting. Same goes for the editing. It gives the scenes space to breath, so that even uncomfortable or disturbing scenes remain beautiful and watchable. I also liked the editing choice they've done for the ending. It gives Pieces of a Woman a meditative touch and and somehow “opens“ it (I don't know how to explain that in better words, you'll hopefully understand once you've watched it).
Due to these two techniques – the raw observation of handling grief in every day situations and the aesthetic visual sytle – the film achieves to create a beautiful artistic style and a strong emotional impact on the audience.
Finally, but most important of all, the film works because of the fantastic two main performances. Vanessa Kirby as well as her co-star Shia LaBeouf deliver both performances of their lifetimes, they completely disappear in their roles. Kirby's acting is heartbreaking, honest and powerful. She goes through literally every single emotional state in this drama. Shia LaBeouf gets by far not enough recognition for his performance, which is Oscar-worthy as well. From the first second on, he impersonates a passive-agressive and incalculable, but nonetheless gracious and vulnerable man with such perfection that it's hard to believe he doesn't simply play himself. If the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor wouldn't go posthumously to the recently deceased Chadwick Boseman for Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, I'd actually love to see Shia LaBeouf receiving it, who starred in amazing films over the last decade. As that won't happen, Pieces of a Woman deserves at least the Awards for Best Actress and Best Cinematography. This underrated artwork deserves much more appreciation. It's one of the best films of the year so far.