Film Review
Whilst some may judge
L'Autre
to be a film that is too stylised and self-consciously arty for its own
good, others may well conclude that its distinctive design is extremely
effective in expressing the inner chaos of the central protagonist as
she allows herself to be propelled into an existential
nightmare. Adapted from Annie Ernaux's autobiographical
novel
L'Occupation, this is
the second film to be written and directed by Patrick-Mario Bernard and
Pierre Trividic, the team that had previously worked on the morbid and
pretty bewildering
Dancing
(2003).
The extraordinary power of this film derives mainly from Dominique
Blanc's gripping central performance. In one of her most
challenging and fascinating roles, Blanc plays a complex Jekyll and
Hyde character who is both a considerate, hardworking social worker and
an obsessessive paranoiac who can't cope with the fact that her
boyfriend is attracted to another woman. The part has striking
similarities with the one which Blanc earlier played in Roch
Stéphanik's
Stand-by (2000), both films
involving a woman who copes with the trauma of rejection by
behaving in what appears to be a totally irrational manner.
The characterisation is extreme and erratic
but Blanc makes it extraordinarily convincing. Her performance
won her the Volpi Cup Best Actress Award at the Venice Film Festival in
2008.
There is a haunting, indeed slightly sinister poetry to this film,
which comes partly from Blanc's tortured portrayal of a woman being
driven to the edge, and partly from the near-abstract design.
Long lenses transform the cold urban setting into a fuzzy neon-drenched
dreamscape, emphasising the central character's disenfranchisement with
the world around her. A discordant sound track adds to the
growing sense of alienation and reinforces the impression of mental
collapse that is so vividly conveyed by Blanc's mesmerising portrayal.
L'Autre is a sombre and powerful
work that suggests with a chilling sense of reality the inner struggle
of a woman who is being slowly consumed by jealousy and paranoia.
© James Travers 2010
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Film Synopsis
Anne-Marie and Alex have been living together quite happily for several years,
but now they have reached a stage in their relationship where they must decide
whether they should commit themselves to each other. Alex is keen that
they should make such a commitment by getting married, but his partner cannot
bear the thought of giving up the freedom she presently enjoys. Unable
to agree, the lovers decide the best thing is to part, which they do with
no ill feeling on either side. Afterwards, they still go on seeing
each other and remain on the best of terms. All is well until Alex
starts seeing another woman. For no apparent reason, when she gets
to hear of this Anne-Marie is overtaken by jealousy. From this moment,
her life suddenly begins to fall apart. Increasingly alienated from
the world around her, Anne-Marie feels herself slipping inexorably towards
insanity...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.