‘Seven Veils’ Review – Amanda Seyfried Shines In Tale Of Repressed Trauma

It should be noted from that start that Seven Veils won’t be for everyone. Writer and director Atom Egoyan, while talented and Oscar-nominated for his 1997 film The Sweet Hereafter, is an acquired taste because his themes make the viewer look deep within themselves. He often crafts films about deep isolation, and he’s also a fan of non-linear storytelling. He’s a film student and cinephile’s dream, but casual moviegoers may be turned off by his approach to cinema. However, if you’re picking up what Egoyan is putting down, his latest film might be right up our alley. It’s an interesting character study, especially its depiction of how creating art can open up wounds deep within us, and it’s admirably carried by the performance of Amanda Seyfried, once again proving she’s one of the best actresses of her generation, who still feels too underrated. The film is always interesting, but it’s certainly something that will be off-putting to those not at all interested in the subject matter.

The film follows Jeanine (Seyfried), a woman who has tasked herself with staying true to her mentor’s last wish by directing a remounting of what is considered his most memorable production, Salome. The opera is a one-act by Richard Strauss and was made famous for its “Dance of the Seven Veils,” which gained more traction in 1894 when it was translated into English by Oscar Wilde for his French play, Salome, which was later incorporated into Strauss’s 1905 opera of the same name.

For Jeanine, the task of taking this on is more than the pressure of honoring her mentor because she also has a complicated history with the material. After all, her late father used her as his own muse, and by digging deeper into the opera, her dark family secrets come to light in her new role as a director. Her turmoil also involves a separation from her husband, and as she continues to bring this work to life, the opera becomes its own brand of therapy as it makes her confront the troubles of her past, with the hopes that it can provide some healing in her present.

The meta approach to Seven Veils should intrigue fans of opera because it’s intriguing to approach this story as a modern-day take on Salome that is also set within a production of the opera. One of the biggest feats that Egoyan accomplishes is directing the film while also conducting the real Canadian Opera Company’s stage production within the movie. He uses opera performers such as Karita Mattila, Michael Schade, and Ambur Braid, among others, to accomplish this feat, making them portray their stage roles as well as themselves as characters within the film. Viewers have become used to seeing this meta take in certain movies over the years, but this is a level of dedication that gives the movie an extra layer of life, but it will put it at a distance from those who have zero interest in opera. It’s not something that is a usual form of entertainment for me, but I was able to respect Egoyan’s bold approach to the material.

Egoyan also takes things to dramatic and traumatic levels, as is the case with most operas. At the center of this story is Jeanine, and, thanks to Seyfried, those invested in the story will be curious as to what happened to her through the troubled relationship with her father as well as the relationship with her mentor, who later became her lover. She detests her father on such a level that the viewer will want to know what caused those wounds, while her love for her mentor also proves to be a relationship that shapes her. It all comes together in such a way that the audience is waiting for Jeanine’s catharsis, mixed with the trappings of a traditional opera. It’s narratively interesting, and Egoyan does a good job of making these connections equally transparent and mysterious.

Maybe because Seyfried has worked with Egoyan before (she was also stellar in his film Chloe), she’s able to grasp this material in a way that no other actress could. It’s a compelling performance that strips the acting from the role and allows her to make Jeanine a fully formed human being that is intriguing to dig into. You feel her pressure to get this work done, and you feel her discovering more of her pain as she throws herself more into the production. It’s a self-assured performance that is easily one of her best. She is given capable support by the men in her life, played by Mark O’Brien and Douglas Smith, and other female roles shine, including Vinessa Antoine’s Rachel and Rebecca Liddiard’s Clea, who is an equally fascinating character as the show’s prop master. They all provide moments that catch the viewers’ attention, but it’s Seyfried’s show from start to finish.

Recommending Seven Veils comes with the asterisk that the viewer should be open to what the film is selling. If one approaches the material with an open mind, it may just end up being relatable because just about everyone comes with baggage from the past that we’re trying to unpack. If that aspect of the story is of interest, Seven Veils might make you see a bit of yourself in it and allow you to come to terms with your own backstory.

Seven Veils is now available on PVOD courtesy of XYZ Films and Variance Films.