Film Review: Morvern Callar (2002)

Samantha Morton Stars in Quiet, Strong Scottish Film Based on Alan Warner Novel

Apr 12, 2009

A review of Lynne Ramsay's beautiful film, Morvern Callar, based on the novel by Alan Warner.

Glasgow-born writer and director Lynne Ramsay is the master of quiet, yet intense filmmaking. Her films are often void of background music and focus attention on the moments in life during which silence is deafening. From her short films, like Gas Man and Small Deaths to 2002’s Morvern Callar, Ramsay knows how to handle a silent moment.

Morvern’s Quiet Life in Scotland Shaken by Death

Morvern Callar (played by Samantha Morton) is a quiet, introverted girl. She works in a supermarket, making very little money, and doesn’t have much excitement in her life. Then her boyfriend commits suicide – Morvern finds him on the living room floor, the lights from their Christmas tree flashing on and off, on and off. He has left her a note: there’s an unpublished manuscript on his computer that she is to send off to a list of potential publishers; there’s also a sum of money in his bank account that Morvern is to use for his funeral arrangements.

Rather than following his instructions exactly as laid before her, Morvern puts her own spin on them. First, she changes the name on the manuscript to her own before printing it and sending it off to the publishers. Then she retrieves the money from her boyfriend’s bank account…and talks her best friend, Lanna (Kathleen McDermott – an actress discovered on the streets of Glasgow who went on to win a BAFTA for this role) into a vacation to Ibiza. The only small detail remaining before Morvern can skip town is what to do about her boyfriend’s dead body.

Samantha Morton Perfect for the Role of Detached Morvern

Known for her ability to play strange roles, Samantha Morton fits perfectly into the personality of Morvern. She approaches the character with a wide-eyed innocence and a knack for mute intensity that carries the film. She, like Morvern, is difficult to read – you can’t tell what she’s thinking, and this adds to the depth of her character.

Morvern drowns out the silence (and her thoughts) by blasting the mix tape her boyfriend made her for Christmas in her ears, or by going to raves with Lanna. Without this background noise, she seems to question herself and her situation too much. Throughout the film, Morvern remains detached, living life at an arm’s length from everyone else, even her best friend Lanna. It’s as though she’s pretending she’s someone else (and in a sense, she is), like the life she’s living isn’t quite real.

Morvern’s Actions Unusual for a Female Character

The most fascinating aspect of Morvern Callar is that the actions taken by the lead character are unusual for a female in film, and a young one at that. Somehow, despite all of the disturbing decisions she makes, you will still sympathize with Morvern’s character; it’s obvious that there is a lot going on beneath the surface of her inquisitive eyes. She doesn’t stop to moralize her actions, and you just don’t judge her for it. Strange, intoxicating, and disturbing, Morvern Callar is a definite must-see movie.

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