Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t stop thinking about Tár while watching Seven Veils. Even though these two movies are actually quite different, the concepts of power dynamics and long-held secrets within grand artistic insтιтutions almost made them of a piece. Unfortunately, that comparison doesn’t really serve Seven Veils very well, putting it at a distinct disadvantage.

But let’s put the Tár of it all aside. Directed and written by Atom Egoyan, Seven Veils is set in the opera world, as inexperienced director Jeanine (Amanda Seyfried) steps up to remount the production of Salome that her late mentor Charles previously staged. In theory, Jeanine’s job should be fairly straightforward: the artistic director of the opera house — and Charles’ wife — just wants Jeanine to recapture Charles’ original production with minimal alterations. However, Jeanine causes a stir when she mentions she’ll be making small but meaningful changes.

Seven Veils Seems To Have Something Very Timely To Say

But Expected Storylines Never Really Coalesce

Seven Veils plays like and is marketed as a thriller. As we gradually learn, Jeanine’s relationship with Charles went well beyond that of a mentor and mentee, and the story of Salome — as well as Charles’ specific production — is deeply personal for her. (If you’re not at all familiar with Salome, don’t worry, Egoyan smartly weaves the plot into the dialogue and action so we can follow along.) Jeanine’s work in remounting the production is intercut with flashbacks to her childhood, to a time when her dad would evoke Salome while recording concerning videos of her.

Egoyan plays up the notion that Jeanine is being actively haunted by her past, leaning heavily into the injected flashbacks and sudden voiceovers from her father that give the impression she’s hearing voices. Mychael Danna’s score further enhances the eerie atmosphere, as does a secondary plotline involving prop master Clea (Rebecca Liddiard) and the various members of the Salome cast. Jeanine’s illicit relationship with Charles isn’t the only imbalanced dynamic at play within Seven Veils; in fact, I found myself a bit surprised by how many narrative threads are twisting around Jeanine’s.

This, ultimately, is where I found myself becoming disenchanted with Seven Veils. The film seems to set the stage for several intersecting tales about the intensity of art and messy power dynamics only to never really follow through with them. Clea’s story, which largely revolves around making a prop head and, later, working to get her girlfriend a major opportunity onstage, is the only one with the clearest purpose.

In a way, there are thematic similarities between Jeanine and Clea’s arcs, ones that became clear as I sat a bit longer with the material. At the same time, though, I’m not entirely sure Egoyan fully manages to get the message across. It’s an interesting attempt, and Egoyan can be commended for clearly having a timely driving force behind this story. He’s also very skilled at creating a dreamily nightmarish atmosphere. Ultimately, though, the final statement is muddled.

Amanda Seyfried Makes Seven Veils Worth Seeing

She Gives One Of Her Best Performances

Despite the various detours, Seven Veils is primarily about Jeanine and her simmering trauma. Seyfried has long been an actor I admire, and this role might be one of her most mesmerizing and intense performances. Outwardly, Jeanine holds so much close to her chest, but voiceover from the journal she’s keeping lets us in. Though this lends more evidence to the notion that Egoyan is prioritizing being enigmatic and тιтillating over something more substantial, it does give Seyfried the chance to pull us deeper into Jeanine’s mind.

Jeanine is using this production of Salome to process her past, and as she watches all-too-familiar scenes come to life right before her eyes, Seyfried perfectly captures the whirlwind of emotions coursing through her. Caught in both the excitement of artistic expression and the desperation of wanting to be heard, she portrays Jeanine on the fine line between brilliance and madness. It’s stunning to watch.

Considering the difficult things Jeanine is forced to reckon with, I expected Seven Veils to end with a bit more of a catharsis. Though the trailer would have you believe it’s a thriller, it simply proves itself to be a character study, albeit one that chooses to explore its protagonist’s trauma through another story. Perhaps it was Egoyan’s intention to leave us on a quieter note, and I will say the final sH๏τ made a strong statement of its own. Nevertheless, Seven Veils still falls prey to its own expansive focus, making it a compelling yet unsatisfying drama.