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Ludwig Wittgenstein is perhaps one of the more neurotic and bizarre philosophers that I’ve read thus far. Seeing any kind of interpretation of his life and measures of reason would be an oddly enjoyable migraine. Thankfully, our good friend Derek Jarman made a sort of homoerotic comedy that attempts to interpret his life and philosophical debates. I took the risk and gave it a try simply because Jarman himself seems to be a bit of a philosopher (perhaps if he had a favorite, it might be Wittgenstein). In what films I have seen of his, all of them tend to be laden with personal unease from his psyche. In that sense, his films are very exclusive and cater to his beliefs and sexuality. Watching Wittgenstein was sort of like sitting in a room with the director debating various issues and it just so happens that his side of the argument is better served through tangible images, rather than words.

To make a long story short, you might not enjoy Wittgenstein if you don’t care for his philosophy (or philosophy in general), much less a farce of it. Aside from the content, the film’s style might also be off-putting. It’s sort of like a stageless play where everything is set against black, similar to Lars von Trier’s Dogville, but even more minimal in terms of props and stage design.

The film begins with Clancy Chassay playing Wittgenstein as a boy, introducing his family in a deadpan style with a bit of sarcasm and boredom, then going into his grueling education and grooming with a sense of satire that would be present throughout the rest of the film. Aside from talking to himself and the camera, the only other conversation that little Ludwig is engaged in is with a strange green creature who claims to be a Martian, but really plays a similar purpose and resembles the caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland.

The adult Wittgenstein is played by Karl Johnson (The Illusionist, Hot Fuzz) with a natural and hilarious awkwardness that is needed for the character. Displeased with everything in Cambridge, Wittgenstein decides to travel to various places in order to get solitude and to escape from the philosophical circles which eventually come to see him as a genius. He fights in the First World War and tries to further rebel against his ordained future to profess his knowledge at a University by teaching in reform schools for girls and spending the majority of his time in movie theaters. His mentor, Bertrand Russell (Michael Gough), and his mentor’s companion, Lady Ottoline Morell (Tilda Swinton), bicker like two parents over their delinquent son and try numerous times to get Wittgenstein to stop dawdling and return to what he was destined for.

Eventually he does, but he further stuns his followers and new students by claiming that there is no truth in philosophy, but rather in the nature and restriction of mankind based on our language. His only escape from this life is Johnny (Kevin Collins), an attractive young philosopher with whom Wittgenstein becomes smitten and eventually tries to dissuade from a life in philosophy.

Wittgenstein isn’t necessarily my favorite amongst Jarman’s films, but it is the most intriguing one, and the most inventive. There is a lot of exposition within the dialogue, but it is needed, so one couldn’t really complain. I enjoyed this film because it was a subjective experience—one that would vary from person to person and involves deeper thought and a strange sense of humor. Perhaps it’s a tad pretentious, but when you’re good at directing, that seems to come along shortly thereafter. This movie would probably be a really fun one to discuss with your buddies afterward, but if you do, try not to be as erratic as Wittgenstein and whatever you do, don’t run off to Alaska when your friends don’t agree with you.