Une femme d’extérieur (2000) - film review

When she discovers that her husband has been having an affair with a younger woman, Françoise undergoes a sudden and dramatic personality change.  She separates from her husband, abandons her career as a nurse, and takes refuge in drink, clubbing and one night stands.  Her change of lifestyle upsets her three children, her friends, her husband, but she has no intention of returning to her former way of living...

Christophe Blanc’s first film received widespread critical acclaim for its frank, non-judgemental depiction of one woman’s struggle to surmount a mid-life crisis.   With its raw emotions and sharp editing, the film has close similarities with the work of Maurice Pialat, and it is just as shockingly vivid and honest, watchable despite its rough and ready feel.

Blanc’s comparative inexperience as a film director is all too noticeable, however.  The film’s pacing is uneven, weakening the narrative and occasionally causing the viewer to lose interest.  This is however more than offset by the quality of the acting performances, particular that of Agnès Jaoui.  Although her portrayal of Françoise is far from likeable, she manages to convey vividly the sense of betrayal and resentment of a wife cheated by her husband, and the character’s intertwined suffering and rebellion manage to evoke strong emotions in the spectator.

© James Travers 2002

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