REVIEW: DVD Release: The Girl On The Train

Film: The Girl On The Train
Release date: 27th September 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 102 mins
Director: André Téchiné
Starring: Émilie Dequenne, Michel Blanc, Catherine Deneuve, Mathieu Demy, Ronit Elkabetz
Genre: Drama
Studio: Soda
Format: DVD
Country: France

Directed by one-time film critic Andre Techine, The Girl On The Train was inspired by a real life scandalous event in France in 2004 and its resultant play. The film serves as an intriguing insight into the socio political culture of modern France, and the often complex and difficult nature of the family unit in French society.

Jeanne (Emilie Dequenne) is a 22-year-old woman struggling to get to grips with her life and her circumstances. As she continues to coast along living in her comfortable home, Jeanne’s childminder mother Louise (Catherine Deneuve) attempts to get Jeanne a job in the office of her former lover and renowned lawyer Samuel Bleistein (Michel Blanc).

Jeanne’s lack of sufficient qualities sees her badly fail in her interview, but, after an accidental meeting, she falls in the arms of her exciting and impulsive amateur wrestler boyfriend Franck (Nicolas Duvauchelle). Yet when Jeanne and Franck’s seemingly idyllic life together falls apart under shady circumstances (resulting in Franck’s arrest), Jeanne once again feels isolated and lost as Franck turns against her because of her naivety and flexibility with the truth of her circumstances.

Seeking attention and recognition, Jeanne pretends to be the victim of an anti-Semitic assault on a train by a gang of youths, cutting her hair and daubing swastikas and scratches over her body as ‘proof’ of the incident. However, as the story snowballs on a huge media scale amidst Jeanne’s claims that she was victimised due to carrying a business card of the Jewish lawyer Bleistein (she herself is not Jewish), Jeanne must ultimately face up to the dramatic consequences that her shocking lie has created for herself and those around her…


At the centre of the controversial claim of anti-Semitism, Emilie Dequenne as Jeanne reveals a want and desire to be noticed in a society that she seems to float through (often on rollerblades). Jeanne is an alluring yet frustrating character; a young woman who sees no option of changing her lack of prospects unless manipulating those around her into feeling sympathy for her.

Jeanne’s naivety means that she has no idea of the extent to which her story will be covered in the media and talked about across France. Within this central plot point in the film, Dequenne’s portrayal of Jeanne as an almost passive presence to events in her own life, before and during the resulting media storm of her extraordinary lie, is impressive. Yet The Girl On The Train is at its most interesting in the interplay between Jeanne and those closest to her, where this is most effective in her relationship with her boyfriend.

In the scenes where Jeanne moves in with Franck (Duvauchelle in an intriguing role with hidden depths), there is an element of unease and danger to the character’s fleetingly happy existence. Jeanne’s time with Franck reveals her passiveness and willingness to go along with what other people want for her, as she simply cannot fathom what she truly wants for herself. Jeanne’s traumatic break-up with Franck is the catalyst for her decision to lie about being the victim of an appalling anti-Semitic assault, where the strained relationship between Jeanne and her mother (who senses her daughter’s falsehood) in the wake of intense media scrutiny of the allegation feels deeply authentic.

However, it is in the film’s subplots surrounding Bleistein and his family that the film becomes rather unstuck. A hint of a relationship in the distant past between Catherine Denueve’s Louise and Michel Blanc’s Bleistein is only fleetingly engaging, and unfortunately pales in comparison to the relationship between Franck and Jeanne. Additionally, while Mathieu Demy and Ronit Elkabetz are decent performers in their roles as Bleistein’s estranged son and somewhat estranged daughter-in-law respectively, the segments of the film focusing on the straining family dynamics between them (a middle-upper class family cultivated by Bleistein’s success as a lawyer) feel like a fairly extraneous diversion from the film’s primary focus in Jeanne.

Despite this sense of misdirection, Techine does make some good parallels between Jeanne’s situation and Bleistein’s grandson Nathan (Jeremie Quaegebeur); tying in themes of race and identity present throughout the film. Jeanne uses Bleistein’s identity as a Jew in a desperate attempt for her own emotional gain, but in the scene where she admits her lie to Nathan, Jeanne begins to come to terms with the impact of her actions. Where Nathan (showing an astuteness beyond his years in second-guessing Jeanne’s story) is on the cusp of adulthood, and is about to celebrate his coming of age Bar Mitzvah, Jeanne is a confused young woman without a clear sense of who she wants to be. The scene between both characters serves as a turning point in the film, where Nathan is primed for adulthood in understanding the complexities of his elders, and Jeanne finally appears to accept the consequences of a situation she caused to become a more assured woman.


In the well portrayed central role, Emilie Dequenne demonstrates the angst and yearning for attention of a young woman willing to make an extremely shocking and visceral allegation of anti-Semitism in modern day France. Techine’s film provides insight into modern French society in the context of identity and family dysfunction, although some of the film’s subplots involving the lawyer Bleistein’s (Blanc) family fall a bit flat in comparison to the central relationships between Jeanne, her mother and her boyfriend. DB

REVIEW: DVD Release: Belle De Jour

Film: Belle De Jour

Release date: 22nd January 2007

Certificate: 18

Running time: 101 mins

Director: Luis Bunuel

Starring: Catherine Deneuve, Jean Sorel, Michel Piccoli, Genevieve Page, Pierre Clementi

Genre: Drama/Thriller

Studio: Optimum

Format: DVD

Country: France

It has now been forty-three years since Luis Bunuel unleashed his acclaimed classic Belle De Jour. Optimum Releasing, which handled this reissue, claim that this erotic thriller is undoubtedly the director’s most accessible film, but as with his renowned surrealist movie Un Chien Andalou (1929), it’s a film to challenge the audience’s expectations.

Adapted from Joseph Kessel’s novel of the same name, we follow the uneventful life of Severine (played by Catherine Deneuve in a career defining role). Severine is an unfulfilled spouse of a surgeon. Her existence consists of nothing extraordinary - playing tennis, and going to meet friends, before her day concludes with her husband returning from work. As you can expect, their relationship is suffering from this constant daily routine, and her emotional disconnection from the world, her husband, and her loneliness eventually come to a dramatic turning point.

Severine begins to escape from reality; frequently diving into a fantasy world. This world consists of masochistic fantasies - ranging from rape to humiliation – as she longs for a better sex life. On another uneventful day, Severine overhears a friend of her husband’s mention the address of a local Persian brothel. She begins to investigate into this matter. Once arriving at the address, she decides to secretly become a daily prostitute that only works on afternoons.

Once taking on her new role, Severine tries to hide her newly found occupation from everyone - including her unsuspecting spouse. Little does she know, after an encounter with a local gangster; her secret may very well destroy her life…


The cinematography is magnificent. The framing of each shot is crafted with perfection, and the stunning locations are a sight for sore eyes. Bunuel knew how to represent true beauty on screen, and you are immersed into this striking and mysterious world via its lush visuals. On this score, the film does live up to the years of acclaim.

Likewise, Catherine Deneuve seems born to play the title role – though, the acting throughout this movie is extraordinary. Michel Piccoli is truly memorable as the wonderful Henri Husson; and Pierre Clementi as the seductive but deadly gangster Marcel stands out - stealing the limelight from Catherine Deneuve, even though her performance, equal parts sexy, confused, fidget and elegant, is perfect.

The sequences at the brothel are incredible, with the legendary clients that enter through the doors creating many memorable scenes, but whilst the deconstruction of the narrative does make for engaging viewing, and whilst many of the fantasies add depth, some (especially the final segment) come off as pretentious - obscuring the progression of the story, and throwing away tension built up in previous segments.

This release has a magnificent transfer – and the movie certainly does not look like a product of the late-60s, with crystal-clear picture quality and no hint of print damage. The extras, however, are slightly disappointing. The thirty-minute documentary Histoire du Film is more an extended interview with one of the creators of the film. A retrospective documentary on the impact of the film; for example with influential director and an in-depth interview with Catherine Deneuve would have been more fulfilling for film enthusiasts. However, the DVD does come with an insightful essay booklet entitled: The Films Of Luis Bunuel.


Belle De Jour is genuinely bizarre, surreal and hilarious at times. However, falling too often into the realms of academic study, the film cannot claim true masterpiece status. TJP

SPECIAL FEATURE: DVD Review: Dancer In The Dark

Film: Dancer In The Dark
Release date: 17th September 2007
Certificate: 15
Running time: 134 mins
Director: Lars von Trier
Starring: Bjork, Catherine Deneuve, David Morse, Udo Kier, Peter Stormare
Genre: Musical/Drama
Studio: Film4
Country: Denmark/Germany/Netherlands

This is an English-language title.

“Emotional pornography”: that’s how Bjork labelled von Trier and his methods after collaborating with him to make Dancer In The Dark. The film may not be as intrepid as his more recent Antichrist, or as controversial as The Idiots, but those emotionally pornographic moments won von Trier the Palme d’Or at 2000’s Cannes and earned Bjork her own award in recognition of the poignant performance von Trier drew from her.

The Icelandic singer plays a Czech mother settled in Washington State with her 12-year-old son. Selma is hard-working but destitute, and the two of them live in a caravan at the bottom of their landlord’s garden. Selma pays her way by working in a dreary factory by day, and eventually by night as well.

Whilst things are far from rosy for the single parent family, there is nothing particularly remarkable about them either. Selma is shy and inoffensive, and faces the same challenges any mother does. Gene’s birthday is coming up, for instance, and it’s no surprise that he asks for a bicycle. Already an outcast amongst his classmates, he simply wants to fit in with his peers like any school boy. Selma desperately tries to make him understand that she simply cannot afford it, but when her policeman landlord treats Gene to his dream birthday present, she naturally expresses an awkwardness that we may well empathise with. Aside from the unwanted interest of Jeff, Selma has very little to break the monotony of life, and this is why she turns to the fantastical musical numbers that are scattered throughout the film.

The motivation for Selma’s relocation is revealed a little later in the film and it immediately pulls at the heart strings. The true meaning behind Selma’s work ethic lies with her son, who is destined to lose his sight, just as Selma herself does over the course of the film. Only in America can an operation be performed to prevent the illness from progressing in the blissfully ignorant Gene, who has been protected from the truth by Selma. The money that she has worked so hard to earn is stashed away for the operation, but her fading vision means that she unknowingly loses it, and her son faces the same fate as her.

Determined to save her son at any cost, Selma is intent on finding her money. When she discovers the perpetrator, a familiar acquaintance who should know better, she stops at nothing to get her funds back. Her actions lead to a clash with the law, and she eventually faces the ultimate dilemma: her life or her son’s health…


Not the most obvious choice of story for a musical, Dancer In The Dark manages to mix heartbreak with song and dance. Whilst the majority of the film is shot in von Trier’s typical grainy, handheld style, with extended use of close-ups and lengthy dialogue, the musical numbers are an effort to break from the director’s usual aesthetic and experiment with Hollywood.

The very reason the film works as a musical is the sentimental sense of escapism offered to Selma through these vibrant numbers. Accusations of von Trier’s anti-American bias may be valid in other parts of the film, but these musical moments are a conscious acknowledgement to Hollywood’s Golden Age. Von Trier also draws from operas of the past and in interviews, such as the one included in this DVD release, he has referred to the profound impact they used to have on audiences. This is what he wanted to recreate with Dancer In The Dark, and this is what he accomplished. When the story plods past the introductory phase and picks up in the latter half, emotions heighten and an almost unbearably tense climax is reached.

Although Bjork has cleared up any rumours that she is yet another singer-turned-actress wannabe, her award was well-deserved. She presents us with a character so honest and endearing that the viewer cannot help but root for her throughout the entire film, even in those very human moments where her sheer stubbornness prevails. After all, that stubbornness is not for nothing: it is a symptom of her determination and devotion to her son. Supported by a cast of naturalistic actors who are clearly comfortable delivering performances about real life using improvised dialogue, Bjork gives a fantastic representation of a struggling, but single-minded woman.


A harrowing film about the lengths a mother will go to for the sake of her son, Dancer In The Dark is an experience that no one is likely to forget in a hurry. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but with its benefits, it is safe to say that it certainly was worth risking Zentropa studios to make this masterpiece. Don’t expect to come away dry eyed. RS

REVIEW: DVD Release: Je Veux Voir

Film: Je Veux Voir
Release date: 22nd February 2010

Certificate: 15

Running time: 69 mins

Director: Joana Hadjithomas & Khalil JoreigeGenre

Starring: Catherine Deneuve, Rabih Mroué

Genre: Documentary

Studio: Soda

Format: DVD

Country: France/Lebanon

Je Veux Voir sees famed European actress Catherine Deneuve travel to Lebanon to shoot a documentary about the war-savaged country – illustrating the destruction caused by two wars, and the efforts to transform this city of ruins.

As we see everything through Deneuve's eyes, we are placed in the same position as the protagonist - an uncertain place to be, unsure of where we are or what will happen. We must rely entirely on Rabih Mroué, who is the driver, and therefore the decision maker. He is also the ‘local’, with the answer to her, and therefore our, questions.

At times we may feel on edge. After all, one wrong turning can, and does, find us in the middle of an area full of landmines. The shaky home video footage, long pauses and eerie background music certainly aid the edgy atmosphere. Though very little actually occurs, our interest is sustained throughout the course of this very short film by the unusual position we occupy as an audience.

The ‘taxi journey’ takes us around Beirut, into the village where Mroué grew up, so unrecognizable now that he cannot work out where his house should be, to the border with Israel and along the coast. Here we witness the ruins of houses being smashed into pieces and dropped into the sea - this is one way to deal with a troubled past; destroy it, bury it, and pretend it never happened. Such an attitude clearly pains Mroué, and leaves us with a lot to think about, especially as the film's closing location, a star-studded party, is in direct contrast. Reality becomes superficiality, and we realise how easy it would be to forget…


Je Veux Voir is more of a documentary than a film, yet this film does not easily fit into the docu-film genre. Although it has more of the feel of a documentary about it, being short and realistic, it lacks one essential ingredient: we don’t actually learn anything. However, it soon becomes clear that this film is more striking by what it is not, and what it has not, than by what it actually provides - deficient in humour, action, dialogue and even cast members.

There may not a lot to laugh about, as we are dealing with sombre topics, and serious actors, yet Je Veux Voir is still accessible. Perhaps because it is so short and has such a strong and recognisable cast (Deneuve and Mroué - no-one else really gets a look-in). Or perhaps because the subject matter, the Middle East, is such a hot topic right now.

It is an unusual film, as it is extremely honest. Setting, cast, action, and even the passage of time stick very close to reality. The audience really partakes in the discovery of Beirut, along with Deneuve. Rarely are the two separated - only in the moments when Rabih lapses into Arabic - and we can assume that Deneuve does not understand, but we have the benefit of subtitles. But then again, she has an advantage over us, at times, when she is allowed to go where the camera cannot. Ironic, perhaps, as we come to share in Deneuve's desire to see (je veux voir meaning “I want to see”).


We do see Lebanon, and we are shown the destruction caused by war, but we are not told what to think. This is a thought-provoking film, with more than a hint of melancholy. Such a lot said in so few words. A simple and striking film.