"Julian Schnabel Dives In"
by Scott Mantz

"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner
Directed by Julian Schnabel

A close shave! Max von Sydow and Mathieu Amalric in happier times in "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"

A couple of years ago, I had one of those “fluke” moments.  I was joking around with my then-girlfriend, and when I went to give her a big hug, I felt a sharp pain shoot through the bottom right-hand side of my back.  At first, I didn't think anything of it – maybe I just picked her up at the wrong angle – but by the end of the day, I was in so much pain that I literally could not move an inch.

Over the next few days, it got much worse, as I felt completely paralyzed.  I was stuck in bed, and the mere thought of getting up to do a simple task – like using the bathroom – was a nightmarish ordeal that I simply could not face (though, eventually, I had to).

I never felt so helpless in my entire life, but it made me realize how fragile the human body really is.  But it still didn't make any sense.  I'm a healthy guy, I work out 3 times a week, and I run 10 miles on a regular basis.  Now I couldn't even walk 5 feet.  So how could one wrong move put me in such dire physical straights?  I guess it was just one of those things.

Within a few weeks, I was back to my old self, running and working out on a regular basis.  In the grand scheme of things, what happened to me was no big deal – a tiny red blip on the big radar of life.  Other than some recurring back pain, I recovered, and that was the end of it.  I was lucky.

Jean-Dominique Bauby was not.  The editor of French “Elle” magazine was living a rich, full, glamorous life, until a stroke changed his world forever.  Where Bauby – also known as “Jean-Do” – was renowned for his jet-setting lifestyle, he now suffered from “locked-in syndrome.”  Paralyzed from head to toe, he was unable to speak or move a muscle.  There was no reason for what happened, but as his doctor told him, it was just one of those things.  His mind was as sharp as it ever was, but physically, it was like being trapped inside an iron diving bell.

But all was not lost.  He still had his memory and his imagination, and through the use of his still-functioning left eye, Jean-Do was able to communicate with those around him.  People would ask him questions, and he would respond by blinking his eye like a butterfly – once for “yes,” or twice for “no.”  Through his quick wit and sense of humor, Jean-Do found the determination to persevere while reflecting back on the charmed life that he took for granted.

What immediately sets “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” apart from other life-affirming films like “My Left Foot” and “The Sea Inside” is the surreal visual approach taken by director Julian Schnabel (who won the Director's Award for this movie at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival).  As it is, most of the film is shown from the perspective of Jean-Do – his left eye is the camera.  We see what he sees, and we hear what he hears – but we also hear what he is thinking.

Beyond that, Jean-Do's memories are shown through a series of flashbacks with his father (Max Von Sydow), while the rest of the film shows his interaction with the women in his life.  He receives frequent visits from Céline (Emmanuelle Seigner), the mother of his children who remains devoted to him despite his past infidelities.  He also receives guidance from the nurses (Marie-Josée Croze and Olatz Lopez Garamendia) who help him re-connect to the outside world, and his assistant (Anne Consigny) patiently nurtures him to help him write his book (on which the film is based).

The result is an unforgettable experience that features a powerful performance from Mathieu Amalric as Jean-Do.  It’s relentless and uncompromising, but it is also deeply engaging and even a little funny at times.  It effectively conveys the feeling of being trapped, while the flashbacks to Jean-Do's previous life make his current situation all the more devastating.  But the fact that he found the will to live is even more inspiring, especially since he lived long enough to see the publication of his book in 1997 (he died just 4 days later).

Every once in a while, a movie comes along that has the power to change your life – or, at least, make you feel grateful for the one that you have.  “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” is one of those movies.  That’s because it really does make you appreciate the little things that make life worth living.  It should not be taken for granted – something I am constantly reminded about when I feel that recurring pain in the lower part of my back.

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