Film Review
There is a piquant tongue-in-cheek irony to Anne Fontaine's latest
tragicomic exploration of desire and sexuality, as once again
we see the stale calm of respectable bourgeois life wrecked by
a tsunami of dark and mysterious passions. But it is
irony tinged with complacency, and this
risks making the film resemble a parody of some of
Fontaine's earlier, more earnest efforts. With its savoury
mélange of romance, eroticism and dark humour,
La Fille de Monaco has some obvious
similarities with Fontaine's previous
Nathalie... (2003), although
here the protagonists who swap salacious accounts of
their bedroom exploits are male and the storyline, whilst not
particularly well structured or convincing, has a little more substance. The
plot also has a high degree of overlap with Claude Chabrol's recent
La Fille coupée en deux
(2007), although this is entirely fortuitous; thematically and
stylistically, the two films could hardly be more different.
With performers of the calibre of Fabrice Luchini and Roschdy Zem, the
film is pretty well insulated against failure, although the abundance
of clichés, plot contrivances and some painfully superficial
characterisation pose a challenge even for these talented thesps.
Former model and TV weather presenter Louise Bourgoin received
a César nomination in 2009 for her promising screen debut in
this film but, let down by a weak script, she fails to make
her character anything more than the stereotypical empty-headed bimbo
that she is on the printed page. Some parts of the film are
strong - the Luchini-Zem exchanges are to be savoured as they are both
witty and incisive - but equally there are parts which drag
interminably and could benefit from the scissors treatment.
Whilst it may not be as satisfying and substantial as Anne Fontaine's
previous films,
La Fille de Monaco
is not without charm. What deficiencies it has appear to lie
almost entirely in the scripting department. The direction and
acting are generally beyond reproach and Fontaine once again assures
us that she is one of France's most capable and engaging
filmmakers. Doubtless the film will appeal most to devotees
of this director, who appears to be on a one-woman crusade to probe the
mysteries of sex with her characteristic wry humour and the unflagging determination of a
bloodhound on steroids. However, the main reason for watching the
film is that it provides Fabrice Luchini with what is possibly his meatiest role in a
decade, and he certainly does it justice (excuse the pun).
© James Travers 2010
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.
Next Anne Fontaine film:
Coco avant Chanel (2009)
Film Synopsis
Bertrand is a remarkably successful lawyer who cannot resist the challenge
of defending a seventy-year man charged with murder. Arriving in Monaco,
Bertrand is surprised when he is promptly supplied with a butch bodyguard,
Christophe, to ensure that he comes to no harm as he goes about his business.
It seems that his client has some very unforgiving enemies. In any
event, Christophe turns out to be an amiable companion - he is discrete and
admires the cultural polish of others, even if he is singularly lacking in
this department.
Bertrand is giving a television interview when he comes into contact with
a stunning weather girl called Audrey. The instant they meet the lawyer
cannot help falling head over heels in love with her, which is a bit unfortunate
as she happens to be his bodyguard's ex-girlfriend. Another thing that
Bertrand has yet to discover is that the sensationally seductive Audrey is
insanely ambitious to get on in life, and she has yet to discover the meaning
of the word 'scruple'...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.