30 ans (2000) - film review

In 1974, three friends – Aurelian, Barbara and Antoine – form a small theatre company in Paris.  Their plays reflect their concern for Chile, which is suffering under the regime of General Pinochet.  A young actress, Jeanne, appears on the scene; she catches the attention of both Aurelian and Antoine before falling for an ageing Chilean actor.  Eight years on, Aurelian directs a travelling theatre company, but still cannot forget Jeanne.

A lacklustre tale of the lives and loves of a group of self-obsessed actors, 30 ans is a film that fails to sparkle, in spite of its impressive cast and above average production values.  The direction is competent but lacks inspiration, and the characterisation is generally weak (thanks largely to an unconvincing plot), making it a struggle for the spectator to identify with any of the film’s characters.  More could have been made of the film’s background (in particular the Chilean connection) to give the film a political dimension and social relevance of far greater merit and interest than the rather familiar mêlée of amorous entanglements.

© James Travers 2004

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