If TRIANGLE OF SADNESS and BANSHEES OF INISHERIN didn’t satisfy your need to see donkey scenes on a big screen, EO will. The Polish film follows the eponymous Eo on a series of journeys that follow his removal from his circus home. The movie reminded me of a book I had read when I was younger, THE MIRACULOUS JOURNEY OF EDWARD TULANE, which is about a porcelain rabbit that is passed from home to home, or even PINOCCHIO (especially Guillermo del Toro’s recent version).
Yet, unlike those titles, EO is not about personal growth or self-discovery. Instead, the donkey’s experience reflects humanity in all its good and bad…but, maybe unsurprisingly, there’s more than a bit of pessimism. We see some abstract glimpses into Eo’s dreams, but they’re about as coherent as you’d imagine a donkey’s dream to be – yet still incredibly emotional.
Eo, portrayed by three different donkey actors, is undeniably adorable, so it’s hard to watch parts of this movie. It’s relatively short, at 86 minutes, and tends not to dwell in any singular moment, but there are periods of intensity. EO is a thought-provoking film about compassion, specifically where humans tend to place it, seen through the innocent, soulful, wide eyes of a donkey.
EO is available in select theaters now.
