Film Review
This is a profoundly perceptive and believable film about a young girl's troubled journey
into womanhood, in a crumbling and unsupportive family environment. Sandrine Bonnaire
is quite simply stunning as the emotionally confused Suzanne. The quality of her
performance, coupled with Paialat's apparently improvised style of film making, gives
the film a sharp-edged, documentary feel, which heightens the emotional impact and drama.
Pialat's style is a little unsettling to those who are not familiar with his work, bearing
more than a passing resemblance to the fresh, unpolished style of the French New Wave
directors of the early 1960s. To some extent, the film lacks structure and a coherent
narrative, and appears to grind to a halt on a few occasions. However,
the Pialat shows a genuine flair for capturing the raw emotions and revealing the distress
in an adolescent's confused mind. For this approach to work at all, he is very reliant
on some great acting talent. In Sandrine Bonnaire, the director has just that, and
Pialat and Bonnaire form a very successful combination, emphasised by Pialat's portrayal
of Suzanne's father.
© James Travers 2001
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.
Next Maurice Pialat film:
Police (1985)
Film Synopsis
Suzanne is a free-spirited 15-year-old who, along with her best friend Anne,
is having a hard time coping with the upheavals of early adolescence.
Whilst holidaying on the French Riviera, she attracts a good-looking youth
named Luc, but even though he is to her liking she is wary of getting into
a relationship and so opts for a casual liaison with with an American she
meets on the beach. Back home in Paris, Suzanne continues going out
with boys, much to the concern of her prim, over-protective parents.
She is taken by surprise when, without any warning, her father suddenly turns
his back on his wife and children, leaving Suzanne's brother Robert to fill
his father's shoes as best he can.
Suzanne still carries a torch for Luc, but she still prefers meaningless
relationships with other boys to avoid the commitments of love. It
comes as a shock to her when Luc finally gives up on her and switches his
attention to Anne. On the rebound from this disappointment, Suzanne
hastily embarks on what looks like a serious love affair with an older man,
Jean-Pierre and is soon contemplating marriage. It isn't long before
her yearning for freedom asserts itself once again and she has made up her
mind to head off for California, just when her father makes an unexpected
return...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.