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Film: Leaving
Release date: 29th November 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 85 mins
Director: Catherine Corsini
Starring: Kristin Scott Thomas, Sergi López, Yvan Attal, Bernard Blancan, Aladin Reibel
Genre: Drama/Romance
Studio: Metrodome
Format: DVD
Country: France
Leaving’s subject matter of an affair between a disaffected, middle aged, middle class housewife and a younger, working class man sounds an over familiar tale, but there is an unexpected sting.
The apparent perfection of Suzanne’s life is superficial. Her elegant appearance, marriage to an affluent doctor and stylish home provide a tastefully minimalist mask for the emotional emptiness of her existence. Like many a fictional heroine before her, her identity is subsumed in her role as housewife and mother.
When workmen are brought in to construct a studio where Suzanne will pursue her new career as a physiotherapist, she grows close to one of the workmen, Ivan, and embarks on an affair with him. So far, so unremarkable, but the film takes a far darker path than the romantic escapism that might be the expected consequence of its premise.
When Suzanne leaves her family for her lover, her husband reacts violently, and uses his contacts and influence to cut off the couple from any means of earning a living. Driven to near starvation, Suzanne grows increasingly desperate, determined to stay with her lover at any cost. Familial relationships disintegrate and the norms of behaviour are disregarded, culminating in a dramatic denouement…
The film’s apparently romantic theme is belied by a pervasive austerity, in its dialogue, cinematography and its clear-eyed, unsentimental characterisation. The dialogue is fairly unremarkable, and there’s a banal ugliness to some of the scenes that seems deliberate – the tinny sound of a van door closing, or the shabby surroundings of Ivan’s flat. When scenes occur within a beautiful setting, these standout all the more, and they are all associated with Suzanne’s feelings for Ivan – contemplating escape together among the thickly wooded, majestic hills of Languedoc-Roussillon, or watching Ivan’s daughter playing in the sea as sunshine bounces off the waves.
The house of Suzanne’s white coat clad husband is bathed in a blue and northern light, which appears uncomfortably wintry and sterile in contrast to the warm sunshine associated with Suzanne’s lover. The initial scenes of the film, setting up the context of Suzanne’s family life, are interspersed with a blank black screen, and these moments seem to last fractionally too long, creating an uncomfortable sense of the silence and emptiness within the family. As Suzanne’s affection for Ivan grows, these blank interludes appear to diminish.
The role of Suzanne was created for Kristin Scott Thomas, and this gives some indication of the intentions of director Catherine Corsini. In the hands of a lesser actress, the film could have descended into the realms of TV drama, but Scott Thomas is one of those actors who can create a performance that is more than the sum of its parts, and Corsini obviously had this in mind when creating the role. Scott Thomas conveys typical French poise at the film’s beginning, so her transformation from chic to shabby is all the more shocking. Her portrayal of Suzanne’s blossoming affection for Ivan is warm and naturalistic, and she convincingly conveys the indignity that sexual obsession can bring about, a desperation and growing irrationalism which provokes our sympathy, as Suzanne’s behaviour plays havoc with the insincere politeness’s of bourgeois family life.
Scott Thomas’ compelling performance means that Corsini doesn’t have to use the sentiment of poetic dialogue or overblown cinematography to give the story its magnetism, with the result that the film’s depiction of the realities of marital infidelity is more realistic and disturbing than you would expect at its outset. Sergi Lopez, as Ivan, and Yvan Attal, as Suzanne’s husband Samuel, both provide excellent supporting performances. We’re denied the satisfaction of making black-and-white judgements on these characters as they are, unsettlingly, too subtly shaded for that. Ivan seems patient and affectionate, but we learn little of his past – Suzanne discovers that he has been in prison, but not why. Samuel’s reaction to Suzanne’s declaration that she is leaving him is frighteningly violent, and his continued persecution of her and her lover displays a vindictiveness that leaves no room for compassion. But this viciousness is tempered by earlier scenes in which Samuel shows a tender concern for Suzanne, and the humiliation of his situation makes his behaviour understandable, if still unpalatable at best.
There’s a pared down fatalism to the film which has echoes of classical tragedy, which looked with a similarly dispassionate eye at the loves and losses of the human soul. But despite – or because of – the film’s austere heart, and despite the fine performances of its cast, there’s something lacking in Leaving. When Suzanne’s actions become so desperate that in them you can see the seed of her self-destruction, it becomes increasingly hard to sympathise with her. Without that strong engagement with her character, and in the absence of any compensatory strength in Ivan or warmth in Samuel, you begin to feel distanced from the film. It ultimately substitutes subtlety for the grander gestures of sacrifice.
Leaving’s unexpectedly nasty edge renders its depiction of sexual obsession, marital infidelity and disintegrating family life compelling and disturbing in equal measure. Scott Thomas’ strong performance lends a truthfulness and warmth to the film, but the violently irrational development of her character fails to convince. A fine film rather than a great one. KR
Regarded by many as Jacques Tati’s masterpiece, Playtime is a surreal comic vision of modern life in which the director’s much-loved character, Monsieur Hulot – accompanied by a cast of tourists and well-heeled Parisians – turns unintentional anarchist when set loose in an unrecognisable Paris of steel skyscrapers, chrome-plated shopping malls and futuristic night spots.
This Dual Format Edition release (featuring the film on DVD and Blu-ray) sees Playtime presented in both High Definition and Standard Definition, and is packaged with an illustrated booklet, featuring a newly commissioned essay by David Furnham and Kevin Brownlow’s memories of interviewing Tati.
Film: Playtime
Release date: 29th November 2010
Certificate: U
Running time: 88 mins
Director: Jacques Tati
Starring: Jacques Tati, Barbara Dennek , Rita Maiden, France Rumilly, France Delahalle
Genre: Comedy
Studio: BFI
Format: DVD
Country: France/Italy
DVD Special Features:
•
Feature commentary by Philip Kemp
•
Rare audio interview with Jacques Tati recorded at the NFT in 1968, accompanied by stills and images from the BFI’s collections
•
Original theatrical trailer
•
Au-delà de Playtime: Documentary about the making and unmaking of Playtime
•
Script-girl: Continuity Supervisor Sylvette Baudrot on working with Tati
•
Tati Story: Short biographical film
•
Alternative ‘international’ soundtrack (revised by Tati to include more English dialogue)
Kristin Scott Thomas brings another extraordinary performance to the screen, with a role that has already earned her a nomination for France’s highest accolade for an actress – Best Actress at the Cesar Awards 2010. This is Kristin’s first French-speaking lead role since I Loved You So Long, which garnered high critical praise and earned over one million pounds at the UK box office.
Suzanne (Scott Thomas) is married to Samuel (Yvan Attal) with two children. When she decides to go back to work as a physiotherapist, it brings her into contact with a builder called Ivan (Sergi Lopez), an odd job man who has been to prison. The mutual attraction is sudden and violent. As Suzanne spirals out of control, she must decide between her family or living this all-engulfing passion to the full.
A stunning portrait of the destructive consequences that love can have, at the centre of which is a scintillating performance from Kristin Scott Thomas..
Film: Leaving
Release date: 29th November 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 85 mins
Director: Catherine Corsini
Starring: Kristin Scott Thomas, Sergi López, Yvan Attal, Bernard Blancan, Aladin Reibel
Genre: Drama/Romance
Studio: Metrodome
Format: DVD
Country: France
DVD Special Features:
•
Exclusive Cinemoi interviews with the cast and crew
•
UK Theatrical trailer
Based on his own hugely successful novel of the same name, Marc Dugain’s debut feature, An Ordinary Execution, is an encounter between the aging Joseph Stalin (Andre Dussolier) and a young doctor, Anna.
Anna (Marina Hands), who has extraordinary healing powers, is brought in to treat the escalating physical woes of the dictator’s old age, after his own doctor has been “purged.” Seen entirely through Anna’s eyes, he lays bare his philosophy of terror - rambling, plotting, and intimidating.
Ingeniously shot to reflect the grimness of oppression, and filled with tension and mystery,
An Ordinary Execution is a compelling examination of the police state, and a piercing insight into the mind of the last days of a dictator.
Film: An Ordinary Execution
Release date: 26th November 2010
Certificate: 12A
Running time: 105 mins
Director: Marc Dugain
Starring: André Dussollier, Marina Hands, Edouard Baer, Denis Podalydès, Tom Novembre
Genre: Drama
Studio: Arrow
Format: Cinema
Country: France
Film: The Beat That My Heart Skipped
Release date: 27th March 2006
Certificate: 15
Running time: 102 mins
Director: Jacques Audiard
Starring: Romain Duris, Neils Arestrup, Jonathan Zaccai, Gilles Cohen, Linh Dan Pham
Genre: Action/Crime/Drama/Romance/Thriller
Studio: Artificial Eye
Format: DVD
Country: France
Jaques Audiard recently stunned audiences with hard-hitting prison drama A Prophet, which has made him a very celebrated name in European cinema. He won a BAFTA for the film but it was not his first, Audiard got his first nod from the British Academy in 2005 with crime drama The Beat That My Heart Skipped. With a string of Cesar awards also, and the inclusion of rising star Romain Duris, this is not just about crime and punishment, it’s about the music, too.
28-year-old Tom Seyr is a forceful and foul tempered real estate broker. He lives alone, and is growing weary of his day to day crooked dealings; his work sees him planting rats in rival buildings, cutting corners on housing regulations and intimidating squatters out of his buildings. He works with like minded thugs Fabrice and Sami, but his roots in the business lie firmly with his low-life father Robert. As a son, Tom is overly-protective of his dad, and does him favours and collects his debts against his better judgement.
Tom’s departed mother was a concert pianist, and one evening he crosses paths with a former associate of hers, where he is offered the chance of an audition - the chance to re-live his childhood passion of playing music. Unsure at first, Tom balances business and pleasure, enlisting the tutelage of Miao Lin to help him prepare for a musical step up. She is a musical student and prodigy, and offers to teach Tom despite her inability to speak French. He begins to grow as a performer.
As Tom becomes more engrossed in his music, he becomes more disenchanted with his tainted occupation. Having previously covered for partner Fabrice’s infidelities, he begins an affair with his wife Aline. Things even more complicated when Robert begins to attract attention from a notorious Russian gangster, and with the audition coming in the very near future, Tom needs to decide where his priorities lie...
Audiard installs the realism here that went on to feature so prominently in A Prophet. He maintains a balance between the action and the mundane that allows us to feel the strain of Tom’s story, and all the sub-plots it diverts into. It also installs a sense of unease that is felt in all manner of situations, from Tom’s jumbled earlier piano practises to when he is seen tearing apart a guy in a bar fight. The origins of the constant menace of A Prophet is seen here with a dynamic that caters for sudden bursts of violence, musical interludes and afternoon cups of coffee in equal measure.
Another winning Audiard-esque quality is his ability to attract intensely talented young men as his protagonists. Recently we have seen Tahar Rahim as Malik, Vincent Cassel as Paul in Read My Lips, and here we have Romian Duris. Duris plays the part with hard-faced petulance - from the moment we see him he is an animated sight, twisting a lighter in his hand, with his face a frowning picture of unease. The focus of the story is a character study of Tom, and we see in Duris a range that allows this to become the most relevant issue to the audience.
2001’s Read My Lips featured a central relationship between Vincent Cassell and Emmanuelle Devos as a man and woman who form a relationship despite one of them being near deaf. A similar relationship is seen between Tom and Miao Lin, she can only speak Cantonese, Vietnamese and some English, yet their connection is one of the most heartfelt of the story. A scene in which we see Tom prompting his teacher to speak French with kitchen appliances is truly touching, and creates further empathy for Tom. Audiard again places a great emphasis on the altered ways that people connect; in this instance, music becomes the language that allows the two to understand each other.
Frustration can be found in the stories narrative. Tom’s life contrasts the ugliness of his job with the beauty of his music, and this personal battle does leave some things unresolved. Audiard complicates both sides of Tom’s life, but we never get to see him choose between the two. However, the realism and tone of the story does prevent any sort of happy ending from seeming out of place, and, in truth, there is some satisfaction felt with Tom’s final act of violence. Perhaps the way some things teeter out or drag on is all too honest of life.
Some mention should go to Niels Arestup. The actor, who went on to captivate audiences as bulldoggish mob boss Cesar in A Prophet, shows why Audiard thinks so highly of him. As Tom’s dad Richard, he transforms himself into an overbearing and toxic influence on Tom’s life.
This is a fine example of why Jaques Audiard is such a special talent. He features his mix of compelling characters, dominant realism and stunning violence to harrowingly portray the absorbing underbelly of Parisian life. Expect to see lots more of Romain Duris also after a performance that serves as a call card for his budding ability. All those who saw A Prophet and loved it are urged to jump on the Audiard bandwagon immediately. LW
Film: The Class
Release date: 15th June 2009
Certificate: 15
Running time: 128 mins
Director: Laurent Cantet
Starring: François Bégaudeau, Angélica Sancio, Arthur Fogel, Boubacar Toure, Carl Nanor
Genre: Drama
Studio: Artificial Eye
Format: DVD
Country: France
Entre le Murs (Between The Walls) stood out as a leading piece of French contemporary literature with its publication in 2006 - Francois Begaudeau’s semi autobiographical novel offers something quite unique. Adapted to the screen in 2008, it brought about similar intrigue and consideration with the celebrated Palme d’Or. Time Out director Francois Begaudeau’s portrayal of school life looks a little deeper than its Dangerous Minds-esque predecessors.
Middle aged teacher Mr. Marin begins work at a high school in inner-city Paris. He is put in charge of a class teaching French language and literature to a racially mixed group of underprivileged children in their mid-teens.
Starting in the autumn term, and spanning the entire school year, we follow Marin’s attempts to connect with and teach his class of unwilling students. He introduces the children to the values of language, the significance of history and the power of literature, provoking only limited interest.
As Marin balances ethnic tensions, rebellious students and potentials unrealised, it is the lives of the students that become the major topic of the classroom...
The premise of the film has been very present in cinema dating back to Sidney Poitier’s To Sir With Love. The synopsis itself brings about a number of conventional devices associated with the sub-genre of hard-hitting classroom drama: the open-minded young teacher, the budding student stifled by their background, and the life changing lessons they learn from each other. The Class does possess a similar arc, but to hold it in the same regards as such sentimental movies does not do it justice.
The film is shot with a minuscule budget, and Cantet’s shoot is based in the classroom, the halls, the staffroom, and a school yard that resembles the concrete confines of a prison. All we learn about the pupils and the staff, we learn from inside the school, as the camera never strays outside its walls. Reportedly shot on three digital cameras, Canet’s no-thrills direction deliberately resembles a documentary, and this allows for the action of the film to unfold with the upmost realism. The drib-drab entrapment of the classroom is really felt, and although this can grate with such an extensive running time, the tone of the film is essential for the messages it carries.
The original novel’s author, Francois Begaudeau, debuts onscreen as a dramatised version of himself - he wrote the book about his own experiences, and the ex-teacher brings this to the screen. The children are by no means experienced actors either, and are assembled from a selection of real-life pupils - many of the classroom debates that figure so memorably are ad-libbed and shot as genuine discussions. We are given riveting insight into the mindset of Parisian youth as they argue and debate, with Marin urging them all the way - this approach creates an on screen simulation of reality that would be hard to imitate.
There is a lot to learn here but there are no epiphanies as you may expect. The vulnerability of the children is mirrored in the teacher, as he too feels the strain of a weary education system. We see his misjudgement in his altercation with Souleymayne, a student who he previously had been making headway with. Marin’s classroom manner is tested as his penchant to allow children to express themselves leads to them taking advantage, and we see his frustration as his methods are responded to and rejected in equal measure. The action of this film puts educational ideals in question.
Cantet’s film comments heavily on an outdated school system that is more concerned with processing children than helping them to grow. We see unappealing curriculums, unenthusiastic educators and an emphasis on children’s behaviour - not their learning. Canet’s documentary style succeeds in appealing to our emotional involvement with the children, and portraying the hopelessness of their situation.
With fantastic performances from an unexpected cast, this is a very honest and well realised look into French youth and the system that raises them. A low-key production and modest stature do not stop this film carrying huge significance, and giving penetrating attention to a much overlooked cause. The action is slow but The Class definitely packs a punch. LW
Film: Lift To The Scaffold
Release date: 26th March 2007
Certificate: PG
Running time: 88 mins
Director: Louis Malle
Starring: Jeanne Moreau, Maurice Ronet, Lino Ventura, Georges Poujouly, Yori Bertin
Genre: Crime/Drama/Thriller
Studio: Optimum
Format: DVD
Country: France
There is no such thing as a perfect crime, and even more so in films. That is more or less the theme of the back-and-white French thriller Lift To The Scaffold (aka Ascenseur pour l'échafaud, or Elevator To The Gallows as it is known in USA), shot in 1958. The volatile auteur Louis Malle pits a typically cursed by destiny Parisian couple against the unromantic mischiefs of an elevator. Luck, greediness and Miles Davis’s unflinching trumpet do the rest.
It is hard to describe a plot mainly based on a series of misunderstandings and coincidences. Suffice to say that two secret lovers, Florence Carala (Jean Moreau) and Julien Tavernier (Maurice Ronet), conspire to assassinate the husband of the former, the cynical warmonger Simon Carala. Their plan is simple but ingenious.
Tavernier, a clean-cut veteran of the French Legion, makes his way through Carala’s office from the upper floor and kills him. He has not been seen by anybody. It would have been the perfect crime, had he not forgotten to remove the rope he used to enter the office. That proves to be a crucial mistake, as he gets trapped in the elevator exactly when the building is closed for the weekend. To add insult to injury, his car is being stolen by a vagabond couple hanging around.
That is only the beginning of a series of almost zany misunderstandings that bring Lift To The Scaffold at the crossroads between thriller and black comedy. To begin with, Florence believes that her lover escaped with another woman, as she spots an unknown girl on Tavernier’s cabrio. To make matters worse, the duo who have stolen Tavernier’s car spend the night with a German couple in a hotel in the suburbs of Paris. Failing to steal their car as well, they kill them with Tavernier’s gun! And that is not all…
The scenario itself is a masterpiece, even if its twists might seem to be a bit far-fetched towards the end of the film. Never the interplay between love and death has been interwoven in a more breathtaking web of coincidences, embroidered with black humour, social critique, anti-war cues and sexual innuendo. Particularly the love affair between Carala and Tavernier is a fine example of the short-lived amour fou that Godard would immortalise later in his films. Nevertheless, that is by no means the single feature of the movie that captures the cinephile’s heart.
First of all, Louis Malle had the chance to direct the French star Jean Moreau at the peak of her career, giving bourgeois arrogance a face to remember. Then, there is Malle’s camera itself, following the characters of the film as a secret observer that laughs at their predicaments and startles at their miscarriages. One can already detect there the skills of the dexterous cinematographer Henri Decaë, a later hero of the Nouvelle Vague. Not without a reason, this is the typical movie that makes the audience shout at the screen, as if the characters can hear and reconsider. Above all, Miles Davis’s trumpet solos, recorded especially for the film, capture its idiosyncratic mood with a grade of precision matched only by Bernard Herman’s scores for Alfred Hitchcock’s thrillers.
The film plays wittily with the notion of time, but space does not elude it. It is a claustrophobic sense that dominates most shots, epitomised by the elevator and its role within the plot. Paris, on the other hand, has nothing to do with the grandiose metropolis of wide open avenues that French directors love to depict. On the contrary, it is a misanthropic city that traps and suffocates its denizens by making them face their own passions - most of all lust and greediness. Innocence, even for those who try to escape, is not an option. Thus, redemption can only come through another twist of luck, as nemesis castigating hubris in a Greek tragedy.
The combination of Miles Davis’ ironic music and Louis Malle’s brisk direction make this movie one of the few pieces of continental cinema that exploits cinematic rhythm up to its full extent. At the end of the day, Lift To The Scaffold stays separate from the bulk of mainstream thrillers for its originality and delicacy. Perhaps one may assume that this is the film that Alfred Hitchcock would have shot, had he been French. AK
Film: Angel-A
Release date: 29th January 2007
Certificate: 15
Running time: 87 mins
Director: Luc Besson
Starring: Jamel Debbouze, Rie Rasmussen, Gilbert Melki, Serge Riaboukine, Akim Chir
Genre: Comedy/Crime/Fantasy/Romance
Studio: Optimum
Format: DVD
Country: France
With its release in 2005, this became the first film in six years to be written and directed by Luc Besson. The French auteur’s name alone brings overwhelming expectation, but with an all new leading lady and Paris framed in enticing black-and-white, how has this exciting prospect faired as an addition to an already prestigious CV?
For petty criminal Andre, a fresh start is the only answer to his problems. His return to Paris is supposed to allow for him to leave his life of crime behind, but instead it intensifies his already desperate situation. Old debts catch up with him in the shape of underworld mob boss Franck and he is given an ultimatum: “You've got 'til tonight, midnight. After then it's tomorrow, and tomorrow you'll be dead.” With no allies to turn to or places to run, Andre is helpless to save his own life.
He turns to suicide and heads to throw himself off a Parisian bridge. However, he finds the beautiful Angela at the side of the bridge also entertaining ideas of suicide - his attempts to stop her only lead to them both jumping. Sat at the side of the river with the girl in his hands, he is amazed as she regains consciousness.
Angela vows to help Andre in his mission as thanks for him saving her life. The mystery of Angela grows, as she is able to produce the money that Andre so desperately needs - she does so by seemingly prostituting herself to an impossible bar load of men. This amazes and confuses Andre in equal measure, as he questions Angela’s motives and seemingly divine capabilities. He has been given a second chance to realise the potential within him, and to pursue the most unlikely of romances...
Prior to the release of Angel-A, Besson had by no means been hiding in the shadows. The man who asserted himself with classics such as Le Femme Nikita brought his distinguishable style and penchant for explosive action to Hollywood with Leon and The Fifth Element. These films created a buzz around his talent, but since their success he has failed to reach such great heights - he had been producing left, right and centre and scribed relative hits such as The Transporter and District 13, but fans have been left wanting another stand out Besson-esque picture. Sadly Angel-A is not it.
That is not to condemn it entirely, as it does have a lot of plus points. It provides a lot of visceral satisfaction with an ever appealing Parisian backdrop that features vibrant streets, genteel night-spots and landmarks, such as The Eiffel Tower and La’ Seine, featured in the shoot. The cinematography is stunning and shot in cinemascope black-and-white, which serves to paint a more stimulating picture of the ‘illuminated city’ than many have achieved onscreen. Besson is a Francophile, and this translates with the cinematic return to his beloved city.
The visceral qualities do not end with the setting, as Besson casts Danish actress Rie Rasmusen as Angela. The director’s love for beautiful leading ladies is something evident in a lot of his films and the physical resemblances between Rasmussen and Besson favourite Milla Jovovich is particularly perceptible. The character traits of Angela also seem a little familiar, as she kicks ass with a childlike indifference seen in The Fifth Element’s Leeloo. Unfortunately, the action is not as fulfilling - her super human powers grow wearier as opposed to slick and amusing. Her performance is not a standout, and the character is a much less appealing and forgettable Besson creation.
The mismatched romance between the two leads plays well on the likeability of Jamel Debbouzze. He carries all the comic timing and awkwardness into this role that had made him so memorable in hits such as Amelie. Andre is perhaps a character type, a fast talking, luck-riding loser whom for most of the film we struggle to see any redeeming features. Debbouzze, however, has the talent to make this work, and although the script doesn’t fully allow us to completely empathise with him, he has the capacity to make us laugh - and make us feel his pain (a scene in which he stares teary eyed into the mirror is the most memorable of the film). The drive of the film is his transformation, and that is the most affable premise here.
This is by no means a non-event but it is not the return to form we had hoped for Luc Besson. Although it lacks the original genius of many of his earlier successes, it does have a lot about it worthy of your attention. Paris has never looked so good and in Jamel Debbouze he has found a real acting talent. We can only hope the next big Besson hit isn’t too far away. LW
The film that brought Jacques Tati international acclaim also launched his on-screen alter ego: the courteous, well-meaning, eternally accident-prone Monsieur Hulot with whom Tati would from now on be inseparably associated.
The film is set in a sleepy French coastal resort, which is seasonally disrupted by holidaymakers in energetic pursuit of fun. At the centre of the chaos is the eccentric Hulot, struggling at all times to maintain appearances, but somehow entirely divorced from his immediate surroundings.
Tati’s beautifully orchestrated comic ‘ballet’ is a seamless succession of gently mocking studies of human absurdity.
This Dual Format Edition release, which include both DVD and Blu-ray discs, features the fully restored version of Jacques Tati’s definitive 1978 final cut as well as the original theatrical release version, and is packaged with an illustrated booklet, featuring a newly commissioned essay by film historian Philip Kemp.
Film: Les Vacances De Monsieur
Release date: 29th November 2010
Certificate: U
Running time: 88 mins
Director: Jacques Tati
Starring: Nathalie Pascaud, Micheline Rolla, Raymond Carl, Lucien Frégis
Genre: Comedy
Studio: BFI
Format: DVD
Country: France
Special Features:
•
Alternative ‘international’ soundtrack (revised to include more English dialogue)
•
Original theatrical trailer
•
Richard Lester interview: the acclaimed filmmaker discusses Les Vacances de M. Hulot with film historian Philip Kemp
Taking a staggering 1.7 million admissions in its French opening weekend and in the UK Top 10 chart for several weeks, the film marks director Pascal Chaumeil’s feature debut, and stars the gorgeous paring of Vanessa Paradis and Romain Duris.
Alex (Duris) is a charming, funny, effortlessly cool, and, most importantly, irresistible to women. He offers a professional service; to break up relationships. In just a few weeks, for a fee equivalent to his reputation, he promises to transform any husband, fiancé or boyfriend into an ex. Hideouts, phone-tapping, fake identities, a devastating smile, anything goes when it comes to fulfilling his contract.
Juliette (Paradis) is a young, beautiful, free-spirited and independent heiress, with a passion for shopping, fine wine, and a word-perfect knowledge of Dirty Dancing. In ten days, she’s due to marry the man of her dreams (Lincoln), much to her father’s disapproval.
When Alex is hired to break up this seemingly perfect couple, he is thrown into an action-filled race against time. Taking him through the sun-drenched streets of Paris to the fast cars and high fashion of Monaco, in his own hilarious seduction ‘mission impossible’ that risks him being caught by his ruthless personal creditors, angry exes, and Juliette herself. But worst of all, will he discover at his own cost that when it comes to love, the perfect plan doesn’t exist?
Film: Heartbreaker
Release date: 22nd November 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 105 mins
Director: Pascal Chaumeil
Starring: Romain Duris, Vanessa Paradis, Julie Ferrier, François Damiens, Héléna Noguerra
Genre: Comedy/Romance
Studio: Revolver
Format: Cinema
Country: France
It's 1913, Paris and Coco Chanel is infatuated with the rich and handsome Boy Capel, but she is also bound to her work.
Igor Stravinsky's The Rite Of Spring is about to be performed, and the revolutionary dissonances of his work parallel Coco's radical ideas - she wants to democratise women's fashion and he wants to redefine musical taste. Coco attends the first performance of The Rite, which is criticized as being too modern and too foreign. Coco is moved by the ballet; however, Igor is inconsolable.
Seven years later, Coco is wealthy and successful but heartbroken after her lover's death in a car crash. Igor, following the Russian Revolution, is now a penniless refugee living in exile in Paris. One day, he is introduced to Coco by Diaghilev, a ballet impresario. The attraction between them is instant, prompting Coco to invite Igor, along with his wife and kids, to stay at her new villa in Garches - an invitation that ignites a passionate affair between the two artists.
Film: Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky
Release date: 22nd November 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 120 mins
Director: Jan Kounen
Starring: Anna Mouglalis, Mads Mikkelsen, Yelena Morozova, Natacha Lindinger, Grigori Manukov
Genre: Drama/Romance
Studio: Soda
Format: DVD & Blu-ray
Country: France
Film: Tell No One
Release date: 15th October 2007
Certificate: 15
Running time: 126 mins
Director: Guillaume Canet
Starring: Marie-Josee Croze, Nathalie Baye, Andre Dussollier, Jean Rochefort, Kristin Scott Thomas
Genre: Crime/Drama/Mystery/Thriller
Studio: Revolver
Format: DVD
Country: France
A sensation in its native France, Tell No One went on to capture a lot of attention around the continent. Based on the novel by American writer Harlan Cobern, this really is the rarest thing: a French film of American origin. Guillaume Canet directs and scribes a mystery that promises enough twists and turns to leave you dizzy. Nothing is what it seems.
Lifelong sweethearts Alexandre and Margot Beck take a midnight skinny dip at their favourite childhood lake. Sat in the moon light on a duck in the middle of the lake, they begin to squabble, and Margot swims back to land alone. Still in the lake, Alexandre hears Margot’s screams in the distance, and desperately swims back to her rescue. However, back on land, Margot is nowhere to be seen, and Alexandre is knocked unconscious.
The narrative picks up eight years later, with Alex still coming to terms with the murder of his wife. Himself a former suspect in the case, he works as a paediatrician haunted by his loss at the hands of a serial killer. He goes through the motions of his tender life until he begins to receive cryptic e-mails that suggest Margot is very much alive.
Alexandre goes in search of the truth - he is determined to expose an ominous cover-up, and desperate to once again see the face of his beloved Margot. Along the way, he encounters new allies, possible infidelities, and one of the most gripping chase scenes in modern cinema. He is wanted by police and criminals alike, but he will do whatever it takes...
The American feel of this movie goes deeper than just its source material, and young director Guillaume Canet’s Hollywood influences are clear. French audiences clearly found this reverse globalisation refreshing as the film swept the Cesar awards in 2006; however, Tell No One holds both the good and the bad of Hollywood.
The good comes in the shape of leading man Francoise Cluzet. The similarities with Dustin Hoffman do not stop with his striking physical resemblance. Cluzet plays the part of Alex with a determination and devotion that will have you feeling his pain and fighting in his corner. He is emotionally blank when we see him eight years after the loss of his wife, but still conscientious as a doctor - thoughtful and shyly humorous. His likeability makes his emotional fragility all the more heartfelt – at any moment ready to burst into tears or fly off in rage. Canet really does run him ragged, and not just emotionally - Hoffman similarities are seen as Alexandre jumps out of windows and sprints across busy highways, recalling the likes of Marathon Man.
French film fans expecting a talky melodrama will be surprised by the action-packed nature and frenetic pace, which Canet directs with assuring confidence. The non-stop action, constant flow of incident and new possibilities do come at an exhausting rate. This is truly a thrill ride from start to finish, and installs a desperation not just in its protagonist but its audience, too - you will be forgiven for feeling like you may have missed something. As frustrating as this can be, it is hard is give up on the drive of the story.
Alex’s quest is valiant and worthy of your attention, but he does meet a fair few stale points on his journey. Despite a beautifully French-speaking part for English star Kristen Scott Thomas, and not a wooden performance in sight, we encounter a lot of standard American character types along the way. In particular, Alexandre’s unlikely alliance with gangster Bruno conjures images of a role for a rapper like 50 Cent or X-Zibet when the American remake comes about, plus there is an all too familiar mix of maverick cops and hard talking lawyers.
It is a shame, also, that the mystery of the story is explained at the end through one character’s confession. With all the red herrings and plot holes it leaves untouched, you could be left wanting a more natural uncovering of the truth. This, however, is saved both by our relief at finally being able to put to bed a head spinning mystery.
The joy of this film stems from a representation of adult love that is consistently believable and worthy of a fight. The onscreen chemistry of Alexandre and Margot shows a love and wanting that is truly incessant - Marie-Josée Croze’s angelic face holds all the pain of a shattered life. Even a soundtrack including Jeff Buckley and U2 sets a longing that elsewhere could be too sugar sweet and obvious.
This thriller provides both viscerally and emotionally. On the surface: bundles of action and adventure in chic Paris, below: a moving love story. Guillaume Canet shows why he is so highly regarded in his home country with his portrayal of lost love, betrayal and human triumph. Americanised misgivings do not stop this being a definite one to watch. LW
Film: A Prophet
Release date: 7th June 2010
Certificate: 18
Running time: 149 mins
Director: Jacques Audiard
Starring: Tahar Rahim, Niels Arestrup, Adel Bencherif, Hichem Yacoubi, Reda Kateb
Genre: Crime/Drama/Thriller/Action
Studio: Optimum
Format: DVD
Country: France/Italy
This release brought about the return of the celebrated Jacques Audiard to award-winning form. Following the success of 2005’s The Beat That Skipped My Heart, Audiard was again given the nod by BAFTA, this after recognition at Cannes. Delving into a genre that has been ever present in modern cinema, how has A Prophet emerged as such a recognised crime classic amongst its contemporaries?
The film spans the six-year prison sentence of 19-year-old degenerate Malik El Djebena. Brecourt is a notorious hellhole where inmates rely on their connections to protect them against their ever present violent way of life. Malik’s North African descent places him bang in the middle of an ethnically split prison run by Corsicans and heavily inhabited by Arabs. Despite his illiteracy and minimal prospects, he concentrates on his future release and is a loner within the prison walls.
After Malik is forced to do a favour for prison ‘fat cat’ Cesar, his prison education begins, and he is taken under the wing of the Corsicans sitting on top of the prison pile. The years pass as Malik climbs the institutional ladder under the wing of the ruthless Cesar; he deals in drugs, takes part in hostage exchanges, and even facilitates assassinations. Malik’s cooperation has changed to enthusiasm as he begins to develop the know how to transcend his status as a petty errand boy.
Using his newly found status, and with connections that stretch outside the prison walls, Malik sets out to go in to business for himself. He is not just working to leave the shadow of Cesar and his crew but to survive his sentence...
The most forceful device of Audiard’s film is the realism he installs from the get go. The fear and bursts of ultra-violence go hand in hand with the drab solitude and boredom of prison life. There is an ever present sense of the length of Malik’s sentence, as the hours and days pass we see him in his cell, enduring mindless jobs, bored in classes and alone in the yard. The contrast of action and daily grind makes for engrossingly uneasy watching as we feel Malik’s trepidation in such unpredictable surroundings.
Malik’s journey is in no way a typical rise in the crime world. From the moment we see him, he is the picture of an awkward teenage troublemaker; irritable, aggressive and irreconcilable. For him, this is not about moral discovery or redemption as genre character typing may dictate. He has no morality and he is not fighting for redemption, the only thing he cares about is finishing his time in one piece.
Such moral inclination is demonstrated in the film’s most effectively violent scenes, as Malik is forced into his first job for the Corsicans, a hit on potential rat Reyab. The blood spilling tussle is hard to watch but impossible to turn away from as Malik frightfully botches the planned hit - the realism of the film extends to its many layers and this sets an ominous tone for the two hours ahead. If visions of Reyab’s ghost are appealing to Malik’s guilt or integrity, he dismisses them with his typical nonchalance - he is doing what needs to be done.
Rahim Tahar’s hard-faced performance sees him emerge from this film as a face to watch but he’s not the only actor to make an impression. Niels Arestup plays the part of Cesar Luciani with terrifying effect. He is a chain smoking, vicious and erratic mob boss whose presence in the film is consistently menacing and never trustworthy. If classics such as Goodfellas showed off camaraderie between criminals, A Prophet focuses on a shifting of allegiances and self-preservation that is just as absorbing. Do not expect to see a father like mentor in Arestup’s character, he rules with a bulldoggish resolve and fear. The altercations between Cesar and Malik show how Audiard is able to shift tone to the greatest effect.
A lack of empathy set about by Malik does not derive from the pleasure of seeing him grow and succeed. He juggles with the loyalties of the Corsicans and the Arabs with a newly found cunning and under the influence of those who try to control him. His rise comments heavily on the influence of incarceration, starting as a boy with nothing to offer on the outside Malik is honed with the skills to succeed on the inside - his transformation shows the value (or danger) of a prison upbringing. Malik is a product of his environment.
The violence is harrowing and provides some of the most unforgettable images ever seen in prison drama. That said, A Prophet succeeds where so many have failed by not making this the sole focus of the picture. Audiard achieves a much more cerebral approach to the criminal world; a vision of prison being that is intensely believable. Oscar buzz and awards galore aside this is a film that deserves your attention. A true benchmark in a done-to-death genre. LW
Germain Chazes (Depardieu) is a middle-aged loner who lives in a van outside his mother's home and does odd jobs for a living.
When he meets Marguerite (Casadeus), a highly cultured and well-read elderly woman living in a nearby retirement home, she introduces him to her passion for literature.
As Germain's desire to learn to read is ignited, a deep bond develops between the unlikely pair.
Film: My Afternoons With Marguerite
Release date: 12th November 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 82 mins
Director: Jean Becker
Starring: Gérard Depardieu, Gisèle Casadesus, Maurane, Patrick Bouchitey, Jean-François Stévenin
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Studio: Picturehouse
Format: Cinema
Country: France
Film: Wild Grass
Release date: 8th November 2010
Certificate: 12
Running time: 105 mins
Director: Alain Resnais
Starring: Sabine Azéma, André Dussollier, Anne Consigny, Mathieu Amalric
Genre: Drama/Romance
Studio: New Wave
Format: DVD
Country: France/Italy
As Alain Resnais ages so do his regular cast members. Here, Sabine Azéma and Andre Dussollier reprise their familiar roles in the most recent of the octogenarian filmmaker’s offbeat romances. Based on Christian Gailly's novel L'Incident, the film focuses on the aftermath of a seemingly innocuous incident.
While shopping in Paris, Marguerite Muir (Azéma) has her handbag snatched by a rollerblading mugger. Georges Palet (Dussollier) subsequently finds her discarded purse and develops an inexplicably intense interest in her photographic ID and pilot’s licence. This leads to a series of one-sided phone calls and letters – straightforward but motiveless stalking, to all intents and purposes.
George’s intentions are never fully (or even partially explained), and there is something disconcertingly sinister about his obsession with the frizzy haired Marguerite – not least when he slashes her car tyres. Perhaps even more difficult to understand is why Marguerite suddenly becomes interested in her pursuer...
It’s an oddity of a film, even by Resnais’ opaque standards. The voiceover which narrates proceedings is lifted directly from the novel upon which the movie is based and is faithful to the original text, yet it reveals very little and poses more questions than it answers.
The character of Georges is deliberately mysterious – hardly an original concept – yet he is so enigmatic as to be frustrating. Occasional glimpses of murderous intent and his suspicion of those in uniform and their reciprocal distaste for him hint at a criminal past. But equally he could just be a bored fantasist with a runaway imagination. Refusing to divulge this information gives the film an ambiguity which makes it difficult to invest much in its central character – a flaw which could have been remedied if Marguerite was fleshed out more fully.
The stalked female lead is played with familiar skittishness by Azéma in a style well-known to those who’ve seen her previous performances in Resnais’ films. Sadly, the sketchy characterisation and baffling interest in her middle-aged pursuer make it difficult to warm to her. Even her kookily frizzy red hair seems like an affectation too far.
Despite the character flaws, it’s a stylish piece of work. The whimsical opening as Marguerite shops for shoes is wonderfully shot, with her face never revealed (just that hair!) even as she sees her handbag waving in the wind as it is snatched. It’s a stunning camera shot – a justifiable use of slow-motion and vividly contrasting colours.
Indeed, the film is full of colour, from Marguerite’s neon-lit apartment and gaudy yellow car to George’s lush green grass. The sets are as lavish as the characters are sparse and often shot in pastel-hued soft focus – even the turquoise desk at police HQ disappears into the fuzzy distance as Marguerite inquires after her pursuer.
Georges’ lawn is not the only grass which features in the film. Opening with tufts of greenery pointing through a cracked footpath, the action is interspersed with images of wild grass throughout. It’s difficult to say which of these represents Georges most accurately – does his well tended garden hint at the order he craves whilst being tempted to the wilder side of the untamed wild grass? Or has he arrived at order in his home life having eschewed the ‘wild’ side. Again, the movie’s ambiguity prevents an easy answer being reached.
If anything the film becomes less linear as it reaches its conclusion. Scenes which are presumably hypothetical are played out in the imaginations of the characters – these scenes within scenes occur in ‘thought bubbles’ which recall Resnais’ earlier film I Want To Go Home. A confusingly edited scene between Georges and two policemen descends into incomprehensibility as lines are repeated, and unusual cuts and zooms are employed to destroy any sense of conversation or convention.
The ending of the film is unsatisfying, but predictably so. After posing so many unanswered questions during the course of Wild Grass there was no way Resnais would cap it off with a conventional climax.
Wild Grass is lovely to look at but difficult to love. Resnais can be infuriatingly flippant, and here his stylistic quirks and tricks are not strong enough to carry the interest of the viewer from start to finish. A film requires characters and/or a plot strong enough to sustain the audience’s interest. Here, Resnais provides neither, and, as such, the film is a triumph of style over substance. RW
