Nathalie... (2003)
Directed by Anne Fontaine

Film Review

Once again, director Anne Fontaine explores the darker side of human sexuality in this polished and most unusual romantic drama.  It is a subject which Fontaine generally handles well, her earlier film Nettoyage à sec (1997) being both a fascinating and provocative example of the genre.  Despite being well-served by an excellent cast - Fanny Ardant and Emmanuelle Béart give, as ever, near-faultless performances - Nathalie… is far less satisfactory than Fontaine's previous work.

The main weakness with this film is its narrative, which is hampered by needless repetition which quickly renders the film boring and predictable.  The idea of a character relating her experiences to another character, rather than showing us, is an interesting kind of voyeuristic device, but you can't help feeling that the idea would work far better in the medium of radio rather than film.

Film Synopsis

Catherine, a gynaecologist in her forties, is unsure how to react when she learns that her husband has been unfaithful to her.  They have been together for twenty years and it is only now that Catherine discovers her partner has been regularly sleeping around with other woman.  Her initial disgust turns to fascination and, to find out more about Bernard's sexual exploits, she hires a prostitute, Marlène, to become his next mistress.  Catherine insists on knowing every sordid detail of the liaison, and this Marlène is more than willing to supply.

With a new look and a new name, Nathalie, the prostitute sets about her mission with apparent gusto and reports back to the cheated wife after every amorous encounter, leaving nothing to the imagination with her lurid descriptions of physical intimacy.  Catherine listens attentively to what she hears, seemingly unperturbed by Marlène's explicit accounts of her love making sessions.  The relationship between the two women, always ambiguous, suddenly takes a darker turn when Marlène reveals that Bertrand plans to move in with her.  This is one development Catherine hadn't allowed for...