For entirely different reasons than Love Lockdown.

There’s nothing groundbreaking about Rihanna’s video for Take a Bow. It has three threads – Rihanna singing in a void, Rihanna singing in her home, and Rihanna interacting with the lover who cheated on her. There isn’t any novel camera work, no stand-out color palette is employed, and the locations used are entirely ordinary (if decidely upscale).

But the execution, and the acting, are phenomenal. I could watch that video 5 times in a row and be captivated by Rihanna’s eyes and subtle gestures each time. I believe that she’s telling me a personal story. It just so happens to be in the form of a music video. But it’s as if it’s only me and her, sitting on a porch on a quiet night, sharing heartfelt and intimate stories from our pasts. Unreal. As much as concept matters, execution, it seems, is key.

The director is Anthony Mandler, Grammy nominated for When We Were Young by the Killers, and MTV Music Award nominated for Common’s Testify. It turns out this video, too, earned him a 2008 MTV VMA nomination for Director of the Year. I’m sure there are other accolades I’ve missed, but his work speaks for itself.

Enjoy.

Related posts:
Great music video – Depeche Mode, “Wrong”
Wow. Just…wow. OK Go’s music video for This Too Shall Pass
From my brother: Pretty amazing stop-motion music video
The music video as a medium for social commentary and activism
The best music video ever? Yes.