A Closer Look at Sandra Wollner's 'Everytime': A Tale of Grief and Unreality

Austrian filmmaker Sandra Wollner, acclaimed for her genre-defying thriller 'The Trouble With Being Born', weaves a complex narrative in her new film 'Everytime'. This slow-burning tale merges the ordinary with the uncanny, nudging viewers into a sense of unease. It explores undecidedly tragic events within the lives of a seemingly unremarkable family, delineating their journey through grief.

The film centres on the life of three women, Ella, the mother, and her two daughters, Jessica and Melli. A typical story with common conflicts takes a heartbreaking turn when Jessica dies unexplainedly, casting a bleak shadow on Ella and Melli's lives, and Jessica's boyfriend, Lux. The rest of the film is a poignant exploration of how they weather their grief, marked by a distinct lack of sensationalism and an ample dose of reality.

'Everytime' is marked by solid performances and exceptional cinematography. Its mise-en-scene is rich in realistic detail, juxtaposed against unexpected virtual realities that manifest through a Minecraft-style game. However, the plot doesn't offer much in the way of unfolding drama, instead staying tethered to a seemingly real-world exploration of grief that feels both studied and compassionate.

Towards the finale, the story takes an unexpected turn, flaunting the bizarre intersection of the past and present, the real and the virtual. It proposes a resolution that seems unrealistically ideal, reflecting the characters' desperate struggle to grapple with their devastating loss. This unsettling resolution, painted with masterful aloofness, adds a mysterious dimension to the film.

While 'Everytime' might not offer nail-biting twists or gratifying conflicts, it succeeds in its intent of painting a profound and realistic picture of human behavior in the wake of terrible loss. Wollner’s understated narrative thrives in its ambiguity, lending the film a sense of authenticity and emotional resonance despite its lack of conventional storytelling elements.