Film: The Concert
Release date: 8th November 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 122 mins
Director: Radu Mihaileanu
Starring: Aleksei Guskov, Dimitri Nazarov, Melanie Laurent, François Berleand, Miou-Miou
Genre: Drama/Comedy
Studio: Optimum
Format: DVD
Country: France
Four years after the internationally acclaimed Live And Become, Radu Mihaileanu attempts to hit a lighter note with comedy-drama The Concert, staring French actress Mélanie Laurent. A story of redemption, can Mihaileanu’s colourful cast walk the line between the melancholic and the jocular?
The Concert, above all else, is a story of the underdog. Aleksei Guskov stars as Alexei Filipov, who works as a cleaner at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. But he used to be something much more. His turmoil dates back thirty years, when, as the conductor of the legendary Bolshoi, he refused to omit Jewish musicians from his world-famous orchestra. He never conducted again.
In his disgrace, and, at times, spiralling alcoholism, Alexei and wife Irina dream of a house in the country, working with obsessive devotion to attain these far-fetched desires.
The film picks up on the day Alexei discovers a fax on his boss’ computer inviting the Bolshoi to play a concerto in Paris. Destroying any evidence of the fax, Alexei embarks on an ambitious plan to reunite his orchestra, and conduct the concerto himself.
Joined by charismatic sidekick Sacha (Dimitri Nazarov), Alexei finds many of his former musicians are now deadbeat drunks, but nonetheless endeavours to deliver a one-off ground-breaking performance which will finally allow him to let go of his bitter-sweet past…
The film endeavours, at first, to introduce its audience to some familiar stereotypes within the comedy genre. With some sassy screenplay, and intricate script work that swiftly demonstrates the archetypal character traits, we meet Alexei, the regretful but likeable failed conductor, and Irina – devoted, and passionate, someone Alexei can rely on to push him into the background and conduct his rants for him.
In next to no time Sacha, the yang to Alexei’s ying, presents himself as the discerning best friend who ridicules Alexei’s plans but goes along for the ride. Plump, hearty, never far from losing his temper, Sacha, on more than one occasion, steals the show, largely due to the talents of actor Dimitry Nazarov.
It is also not long before we meet Anne-Marie Jacquet (played earnestly by Mélanie Laurent, who recently shot to fame with her role in Inglourious Basterds), a young prodigy with supreme talents on the violin, who brings a fresh face to the marketing behind the concerto. At the helm of the marketing campaign lies Olivier Morne Duplessis, manager of the Théâtre du Châtelet – typically arrogant and self-assured in order to hide the fact the theatre may be going under.
Despite some promising moments of humour, particularly when the film looks for subtler laughs, The Concert is often over-reliant on more chaotic moments of comedy, a number of which are so unfathomable that it prevents the intended reaction. A shootout at a wedding early on in the film borders on the ridiculous, and is only saved by the conversation between events promoter Ivan and world-class cellist Pyotr Tretiakin, as they agree a deal whilst avoiding gunfire.
In terms of cinematography and construction of mise-en-scène, Mihaileanu, with assistance from cinematographer Laurent Dailland, saves the best until last. Although consistent throughout, it is Alexei’s concerto that brings a third dimension to Mihaileanu’s work. In the moments leading up to the main event, with more pace and fluidity than earlier scenes, the audience witnesses the impending chaos backstage and the overriding nerves on stage, creating an air of anticipation as well as dread for what will happen next.
Another area that the film does excel is in its soundtrack. Radu Mihaileanu utilises the works of Mozart, Tchaikovsky and others to convey emotion from his characters and audience alike. Music plays a central role in this film, and Mihaileanu manages to manipulate the soundtrack, building toward crescendos for important scenes, and he even manages to generate slapstick humour without the music’s epic nature ever feeling misplaced. During the concerto itself, a moving piece of music compounds the final revelation, but perhaps fails to conceal the sad truth that the final twist is neither believable nor anything to write home about.
Although everything is left resolved within the film, The Concerto is perhaps guilty of a failure to commit to comedy or drama. What results is a slightly confused atmosphere throughout, where the audience is unsure whether to laugh or cry. What strikes the most, despite characters played with warmth and gusto, is that the funny moments are not scripted to perfection and thus suffer from bad timing, and the dramatic moments fail to evoke the desired emotion. MC
No comments:
Post a Comment