Quelque chose d’organique (1998) - film review

Paul lives with his young wife Marguerite and his father, an illegal Greek immigrant, in Montreal.  He works as a zoo keeper and occupies himself with his infant son from an earlier marriage, who is seriously ill in hospital.  One day, after five years of contented married life, Paul realises that his marriage is falling apart.  Marguerite has started to lead a secret life which leads her further and further from her husband...

Bertrand Bonello makes an impressive directoral début with this perceptive and poignant study of a young married couple drifting apart.  Although the film is far from perfect (it is unevenly paced and appears overly self-indulgent in many places), it tackles its subject with sensitivity, depth and honesty.

The film’s impact derives mainly from the moody performances from its lead actors Romane Bohringer and Laurent Lucas.  The calibre of the acting, coupled with unhurried pace of the film, allows the audience to form a rapport with the two main characters, heightening the film’s tragic poignancy.

Unfortunately, the film does suffer from some noticeable faults, which together makes this a difficult film to digest.   The long silent breaks in the narrative slow the pace and give the spectator ample opportunity to lose interest.  This is particularly noticeable in the latter part of the film, where the absence of any coherent dialogue makes Marguerite’s behaviour both perplexing and unbelievable.

Another way in which Bonello alienates his audience is by just trying to be being too clever for his own good.  The best example is the film’s opening, which comprises two contrasting scenes, one with Paul passionately kissing his wife, the other with him having killed her.  Some viewers may quickly deduce that the main part of the film is an extended flashback sequence which takes place in between these two scenes; the majority will be perplexed.  Indeed, you need to have realised this point for the ending to make any sense at all.  There are other examples of this ilk throughout the film, adding narrative complexity with no perceptible gain.

© James Travers 2002

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