Film: Villa Amalia
Release date: 4th October 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 94 mins
Director: Benoit Jacquot
Starring: Isabelle Huppert, Jean-Hugues Anglade, Xavier Beauvois, Maya Sansa, Clara Bindi
Genre: Drama
Studio: Peccadillo
Format: DVD
Country: France/Switzerland
Benoit Jaquot directed this vague remake of Under The Tuscan Sun, giving the theme of ‘starting over’ an individualistic French twist, with the usually irreproachable Isabelle Huppert dominating the screen throughout.
Ann Hidden (Isabelle Huppert), a successful concert pianist, witnesses her long-term partner in the arms of another woman. In a knee jerk reaction, she immediately begins to dismantle not only her relationship with her partner, but her career and, indeed, her whole life. Ann cancels her concerts, with the obligatory burning of her photographs and even her sheet music. She sells her apartment and finally we see her three pianos taken away.
Whilst busying herself with this annihilation of her old life, she also revives a friendship with childhood friend Georges (Jean-Hugues Anglade). Georges vows to help her with her new life, and a bond re-establishes itself between them, as they are both bereaved in their different ways.
As Ann travels away from her old life, she changes her appearance, discarding the sophisticated French look for that of a more down to earth traveller - she cuts her hair, and, as she travels and changes, so her mood lightens.
On arrival in Italy, Ann rents an abandoned villa overlooking the sea – the Villa Amalia. Here Ann’s emotional rehabilitation can really begin.
There is an added twist when, having been rescued from the sea by Guilia (Maya Sansa), the two women begin an affair. However, the death of her mother forces Ann back to France to face not only the funeral, but also her long estranged father. Ann has to decide whether or not to stay in France, or go back to her new life in Italy…
For at least the first sixty minutes, this is a superbly melancholic film, with a sombre and even depressive atmosphere, as Ann undergoes the cathartic clearout of her life. This clearout is depicted in forensic detail, perhaps too much so – it isn’t really necessary to witness every word of the viewings of her apartment and conversations with the estate agent to understand what is happening.
The piano music Ann plays is edgy, disjointed and even uncomfortable to listen to, and is a good choice to reflect the character’s mental turmoil. The lighting is subdued and the acting low key without being superficial. Sometimes, however, being artistically disjointed can be taken too far – the scenes where Ann is making her way to Italy verge on the messy, and the images of Huppert trudging through the snow, and latterly the mountains, to get to her destination are not only superfluous but mildly comical.
Once in Italy, the plot becomes hurried. Ann’s relationship with Guilia is given short shrift, even though one would have thought that being able to forge a new relationship after her recent traumas would be a major event in the character’s life. Having said that, time is wasted on scenes such as those between Ann and the elderly woman who owns the Villa – the light-hearted treatment of their friendship simply doesn’t suit Huppert, who is infinitely better at depicting drama and angst than light humour or sentimentality. It’s possible that this lightening of the mood, used alongside more visually colourful scenes and brighter lighting – shots of the Italian coast in brilliant sunshine are the obvious example – is intended to show that Ann’s world is getting better, too, but it is clumsily done.
The film would have had a much better balance if less time was spent depicting Ann’s removal of herself from her old life, and more used to show the audience how she began her new life in Italy - and it would also have benefitted from sticking either to light humour or drama, instead of vaguely trying to mix the two genres. There are also unnecessary characters – it seems that the only purpose for Ann’s mother being in the plot is to give a reason for her to return to France later in the film, yet time is squandered on Ann’s trip to her mother’s seaside home, instead of exploring key relationships in the film.
Isabelle Huppert commands all one’s attention when on the screen, and in this film she looks fragile, introspective and otherworldly, even after her character reaches Italy. This is a restrained performance by Huppert, but one is not entirely sure if this is because she is deliberately holding back, or whether there is simply not enough substance in the film for her to display her talent. Any film starring Huppert has to be worth watching, and her ethereal beauty in this film does not disappoint, despite the vague regret that she is somehow wasted here. It is not the theme of failing relationships which lets her down, rather the poor structure and lack of emotional depth in the script that give her nothing to work with.
For anyone who is a fan of Huppert, this DVD will, of course, be a must-buy, and one that will be watched more than once for the sheer pleasure of her company. Otherwise, you will be left unfulfilled, despite the art house treatment of the theme. GR
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