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Summary
On the spur of the moment, 30-year old Alain gives up his well-paid job as a tester of
computer games, but is uncertain over what do next. He takes up the offer of a place
on a course to learn how to operate a bulldozer, although this means spending time away
from home. During his training, he is paired up with a child-like younger man, Manu,
who is passionate about wanting to drive a bulldozer but has no aptitude for the job.
Whilst his marriage starts to fall apart, Alain finds himself becoming more dependent
on his relationship with Manu.
Review
Peau neuve marks a promising directoral debut for Emilie Deleuze. It is a
compelling work which treats familiar themes involving middle-aged angst and male friendship
with great subtlety and humanity. The film's impact and charm stems from the believability
of its characters and their situations, which is in turn down to some exemplary acting
(the two male leads Samuel le Bihan and Marcial Di Fonzo Bo are perfectly cast).
The sober documentary style also serves to heighten the sense of realism and enforces
the film's dramatic impact in a natural, carefully measured way.
The film's obvious fault is that it perhaps gives too much emphasis to the situations (particularly the bulldozing training) and not enough to the characters. At times, the audience may be forgiven for thinking they are watching a documentary about bulldozers, rather than a social realist drama. Despite this, the film does have some touches of brilliance, suggesting that Emilie Deleuze may well be a director to watch out for. Most strikingly, the film manages to capture - with great insight and sensitivity - the fragility and strength of human relationships. An obvious interpretation of Alain’s attraction for Manu is that it is homosexual in nature, but there is nothing in the film to convince us of that. What we see is the death of one relationship (Alain’s marriage) and the birth of another (a close male friendship). By exercising great restraint and not showing us too much, Peau neuve appears to say a great deal about human bonding and the need for individuals to adapt and change in the course of their lives - like a snake, shedding one skin to grow another, more resilient than the first. © James Travers 2003 Write a review for this film... |
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