Herzog’s Newest Oddity at Venice
Werner Herzog returns to the spotlight at this year's Venice Film Festival with "Bucking Fastard," a film that defies standard genre definitions. Kate and Rooney Mara star as identical twins who operate as a single unit, mirroring each other in movement, speech, and intent. The film explores themes of belonging, romantic fixation, and the peculiar nature of twin codependency. While Herzog is known for his work in both fiction and documentary, this project sits firmly in a space of its own.
The narrative follows Jean and Joan Holbrooke, two sisters who live in an Irish village and develop an intense, shared obsession with their neighbor, Gareth Mulroney, played by Orlando Bloom. They exist in a state of constant synchronization, acting out a life that mimics a shared mind. Their behavior leads to a series of escalating incidents, including a stalking trial that forces them into state-sanctioned housing. The film tracks their transition from a quiet rural existence to the bureaucratic confusion of urban life in Dublin.
The Technical and Artistic Commitments
Herzog’s direction remains uncompromisingly sincere. He avoids pathologizing the sisters or presenting them as mere curiosities for the audience. Instead, the director treats the Holbrooke twins with the same level of inquiry he has applied to his subjects in documentaries like "Grizzly Man" or his classic narratives starring Klaus Kinski. The sisters dress in identical outfits, wear their hair in matching styles, and move with a symmetry that is visually arresting. The production required the actors to remain in lockstep throughout the filming process.
To capture this specific physical rhythm, Herzog collaborated with cinematographer Peter Zeitlinger. They utilized a gimbal-stabilized camera to navigate through domestic spaces and across landscapes. The visual style reflects an attempt to uncover a heightened, ecstatic truth rather than simple observational realism. Herzog even incorporates natural elements, such as a porcupine or a fox, to disrupt the staged normalcy of the sisters' world, a characteristic touch for the filmmaker.
Industry Context and Future Implications
The script originated from a trip Herzog took to Patagonia with producer Ariel León Isacovitch. The core concept draws inspiration from the true story of Freda and Greta Chaplin, two sisters who gained media attention in the 1980s for their intense and mirrored behavior. Herzog’s decision to rehearse with his actors prior to production was an unusual move for him, designed to ensure the twins achieved a seamless, two-woman Greek chorus effect.
Whether audiences will embrace such a polarized vision remains to be seen. The film concludes on an ambiguous note, leaving the sisters’ journey toward independent identity unfinished. It acts as a mirror to the viewer’s own expectations of logic and narrative resolution. "Bucking Fastard" premiered at Venice to significant attention and is currently seeking a distribution partner in the United States. Its success will depend on how viewers react to Herzog’s specific brand of unclassifiable, eccentric storytelling.