Bliss Reviews

The bizarre, disgusting, and perverse activity that transpires during the unfolding of BLISS caused quite a stir in Australia on the film's release, but that didn't stop it from winning the Australian Academy Award. BLISS tells the story of Barry Otto, a successful advertising executive with a loving wife, a medical student son, and a caring daughter. One day Otto collapses in the back yard and dies, though he is revived minutes later by paramedics. While dead, Harry learned that there is a heaven, and he becomes convinced that hell is here on earth. To make sure he gets to heaven, Harry decides to spend the rest of his life "being good"--to the dismay of his family, whose bizarre activities are only now coming to Otto's attention. BLISS shrouds its simpleminded thematic concerns in such a myriad of cinematic flash, shock tactics, and narrative pretension that the film seems to be saying much more about the human condition than it actually is. Scenes tend to drone on endlessly without ever advancing the narrative, and all the characters are familiar stereotypes. The only redeeming facet of BLISS is its lead performer, Otto.