Institute History
Description
Renowned Canadian director Atom Egoyan returns with this provocative and disturbing foray into the lives of characters bound together by desire and loss: Francis, a tax auditor on a quest for redemption in the face of his daughter’s tragic death; Eric, the jealousy-racked DJ at Exotica, an upscale strip joint; Christina, a young dancer and the object of Eric’s affections; Zoe, Exotica’s principled and dignified owner; and Thomas, the quirky owner of a pet store that seems too dusty and deserted to support his comfortable lifestyle.
Egoyan expertly weaves these characters together to question the foundation of human relationships and the nature of sexual love. In the process, he takes us to disturbing,unexplored places where past experiences are confronted, and human sexual fantasies are generated and dissolved.
Particularly effective are the tense performances of Khanjian, Greenwood, Koteas, and Kirshner, and the sumptuous, male-fantasy baroque of the Exotica nightclub, as captured by cinematographer Paul Sarossy. Exotica is an ambitous showcase for Egoyan’s talent and confirms his place as one of the finest directors working today.