The Piano Teacher (2001)

A man and woman embrace on a tiled floor. Text reads: "The Piano Teacher, a film by Michael Haneke, The Criterion Collection.
Cover art for the Criterion Collection's printing of the 2001 Michael Haneke movie The Piano Teacher.
About the movie
  • Director: Michael Haneke
  • Starring: Isabelle Huppert, Annie Girardot, Benoît Magimel
  • Yes or no?: Yes
  • Links: on Letterboxd, IMDb page
Other reviews:

This movie bothered me a lot, but I was completely engrossed the entire time. What a tremendous recommendation from @patappa for the Letterboxd Roulette challenge from VHS Village.

My most reductive thought is this is Whiplash and Isabelle Huppert’s Erika is Miles Teller grown up. Her mother’s awfulness has turned her into someone who has no idea what counts as normal in society and she seems to feel a great deal of loneliness as a result.

Huppert’s acting makes all this possible. As Benoît Magimel’s Walter plays the piano for his conservatory audition, her face conveys everything. She is, as usual, dismissive or aloof or whatever she is. But Walter, who she knows to be talented, gets a brief glimpse of a smile and other emotion out of her. No one sees it but the audience, of course. No one can know that she is crackable.

Throughout the opening act, we’re treated with Erika being demanding and borderline abusive toward her students. The students in return show the utmost respect for her talents. It feels like a trauma bond to me, as all of them are revering. None of them live up to her own expectations. She is constantly criticizing them on their inability to really feel the vibe of the music and play it with love instead of in a clinical manner. Except everything in their worlds is clinical. They are children being treated as future professionals in music, complete with expectations beyond anything a child should be saddled with. Those expectations come with criticism as well. Anna’s mother says she isn’t attractive enough to make it, so she has to be better, for example.

When Erika is criticizing the students, it feels filled with irony. Erika’s own experience was the same as these students’ experiences. She learned to play in a clinical manner while likely being berated for not loving the music and not playing with enough feeling. The result is that she lacks the ability to show joy almost all the time. Does she actually love the music or is that just another thing to check on the clinical lesson plan? Walter is the first person she encounters who really seems interested in understanding the music, what is behind it, and how to convey that emotion to the audience. It’s an attraction for her and she immediately pushes Walter away.

Walter is an incredible character. How old is he? It appears he would be either a late teenager or a young adult. He’s clearly too young for her to get involved with him. Nevertheless, he persists. His almost aggressive advances toward her are rejected—dismissed, even. When Walter follows her to the bathroom, I believe he has figured a lot out. He knows now that she is someone who derives pleasure—or life—out of pain. He kisses her (again, aggressively) and she gives in, but takes control back immediately.

When Walter shows and reads the letter, his aggression turns to repulsion. He is knocked completely back and his reaction is to reject. We actually get a Walter continues to be a good person to everyone around him. He’s the opposite of Erika throughout. He’s helpful, kind, and caring. She is cold. Walter wants to stay away, but he clearly has unavoidable feelings. So, when she returns, he at least begins to accept her.

Then comes the scene. It was terrifying. I don’t think I moved and I certainly didn’t close my mouth during this scene. It was ugly, scary, brutal, and devastating. And I’m not convinced of either scenario being correct—is it rape, or is it exactly what she asked for in the letter. Does it matter? It sure seems like Walter is not enacting the role playing scenario, but is acting entirely out of his anger at her messing with him. She insists everything be by her rules, but her request in the letter explicitly says that she wants to feel powerless. She is effectively asking for an enactment of a rape, except with prior consent. Either way, I hated the scene. However, there is no question that scene was incredible. Again, I was watching in shock as all of it washed over. It’s been a little while since a movie had this effect on me.

Erika’s face at the concert is everything. Her black eye, slightly disheveled look, and inability to focus on what’s in front of her betray a major shift in her mental state. We know she needs to get help, but we can see someone who appears broken now. I don’t have hope for Erika. I think she’s destined to either die early or live a really secluded life—perhaps the same as her mother, who appears to never leave the apartment.

One final thought. The movie opens on a gorgeous shot of Erika with some of the best looking grain I have seen in a while. The look persists through the movie and it’s beautiful. This movie, overall, was one of the best I’ve ever seen.

Reply via email

December 27, 2024
Tags: sex | Isabelle Huppert | Michael Haneke