(Photo: Cinema Guild via Washington Square News)
by Egesi Iheduru
This story was originally published on New York University’s Washington Square News.
The soft Swiss drama “The Girl and the Spider” (dir. Silvan Zürcher, Ramon Zürcher) captures the emotional side of a tense relationship between former roommates, Lisa and Mara, as Lisa prepares to move out of their apartment. As Mara is left alone, she uncovers deep feelings she holds for Lisa, ultimately leading her to the realization that being an adult means dealing with life’s cruel and unanticipated plans.
Mara tends to disrupt those around her at the worst times, as if she’s attempting to halt her old friend from moving forward with her life. Throughout the film, Mara struggles to accept that people must be allowed to choose their own paths, even when those paths differ from her own. This flaw makes Mara an intriguing anti-hero — the audience feels compelled to root for her to change her ways.
“The Girl and the Spider” is an enticing work that, through its symbolism, takes the audience on a rollercoaster of emotions as the film follows the collapse of Mara and Lisa’s tense friendship.
Read the rest of the story at Washington Square News.