IMDb summarizes this film in one sentence – “A married couple is terrorized by a series of surveillance tapes left on their front porch”. This summary is a very misleading one. But after viewing the film twice over, it becomes obvious that coming up with an efficient description of Caché might be an impossible task. Director Michael Haneke (Amour, Funny Games) refuses to make it easy. His film is an unusual type; the story thinly disguises his work as a sort of thriller, yet it never really evolves into one, and there is no reason why it should. There is very little terror directly associated with the tapes or the mysterious tormentor – though perhaps the term “tormentor” isn’t quite appropriate.

The videotapes all appear to be rather uneventful if looked at with the belief that the director is out to shock or thrill. The central character and husband Georges is documented leaving his house for work. This serves as a good example of what is actually filmed by the man behind the camera. The camera captures very little but the mundane. It is also interesting to note that the terror in the film does not come from the process of the family being watched, but from what goes on outside of the camera’s gaze. The terror is found in what the film’s events reveal about the film’s characters, and most notably, about Georges. Even the disturbing drawings the married couple receive with each tape are simply mirroring what Georges sees in his dreams. For the most part, it seems to be an exploration into responsibility and guilt with regards to one individual.

The introduction of Majid is deeply significant. As an Algerian labourer whose life-path has been significantly altered by Georges’ actions as a child, his presence confirms the absolute indifference with which our central figure deals with the people outside his own bubble. The son, Pierrot, is also a curious character. He is never made aware of the tapes, but remains highly secretive. Any real attachment with his parents is void in what we see of their private interactions. The presence of a third eye triggers the unveiling of the many secrets found within what is hidden from the outside.

As the story moves forward, the viewer sympathises less and less with Georges – a nasty and uncompassionate persona is presented as he is forced to confront the dark event that had characterized his early youth. He continually shuns any feelings that might affect his conscience, provoked by past events and current decisions – while he persists in growing angrier with every videotape he receives. In fact, the coming of the tapes signifies a sort of turning point in the conscience of Georges. For the first time, his past comes back to haunt him. But while the film builds on itself, the conclusion is quiet. Georges simply fall asleep in the comfort of his bedroom. And the viewer is left to decipher the film’s meanings and answers alone.

All in all, Haneke leaves it all completely open. The viewer is left with almost countless possibilities as to who had been following Georges’ family, and why. If it is watched with expectations of a straightforward conclusion (as it often is the first time around) then frustration is bound to follow. But Haneke insists on concealing from us any answers. Perhaps in order to emphasise the importance of the “stuff” of the film, we no longer need an answer – at least upon thinking about it a few hours after viewing.

External links

Caché at IMDb

Caché at Wikipedia

Caché (awards won and nominated for) at IMDb