Film Review
Can a convicted criminal ever be accepted back into society or must he
remain tainted for life, forever denied the possibility of making a
fresh start? This is the question which this thought-provoking
French drama raises, although the answer it proffers contains few
crumbs of comfort for those who believe in redemption and
forgiveness.
Sur ta joue
ennemie (a.k.a.
Welcome Home)
is the first fictional feature to be directed by Jean-Xavier de
Lestrade, an acclaimed journalist and documentary
filmmaker. De Lestrade picked up an Oscar for his 2001
documentary film
Un Coupable ideal
(
Murder on a Sunday Morning),
a shocking exposé of racial prejudice in the American judicial
and prison system. The injustices experienced by prison detainees
both during and after their sentences is a subject that is close to De
Lestrade's heart, so it is not surprising that this should provide the
basis for his first film drama.
De Lestrade's mise-en-scène is understated yet powerfully
expressive and brings a sombre realism to the film. There is also
a subtly poetic quality and humanity which prevent it from being a cold
piece of social realism. Right from the start, we are
compelled to identify with the alienated protagonist and feel his sense
of frustration and injustice. We do not yet know what crime
he has committed, nor are we in a hurry to find out. He has
served his sentence, he should be able to put his past behind him and
start a new life. But society - represented by former
acquaintances and prospective employers - will not let him forget
and seem determined to push him over the edge. It is a strange
thing that even when Julien's crime is revealed to us (and it is about
as horrible as it could be) our sympathies are more with him than with
those who seem incapable of showing him any mercy or
compassion.
The film owes much of its emotional power to an outstanding central
performance from Robinson Stévenin, who is perfect in the role
of the permanently ostracised Julien. Outwardly,
Stévenin's portrayal has the allure and sensitivity of a poet,
and yet we can hardly fail to sense the thundering resentment that
rages beneath the surface, a fury that is aggravated by Julien's own
inability to come to terms with the horror of his crime. It is a
performance of exceptional quality, as engaging as it is disturbing,
and one that ignites the film with a blistering humanity.
Stévenin's tortured performance is beautifully complemented by
that of Fanny Valette, who, as Emilie, conveys something of the inner
darkness that her co-star projects but also a vitality and
warmth. Emilie is Julien's female alter ego - she is as tormented
by the past as he is and feels the same sense of estrangement from
humanity. Both characters have made themselves prisoners, and yet
ironically both hold the key that can set the other free, should they
choose to surrender it.
The film derives its enigmatic title from the poem "Tristesse
d'été" by the 19th century poet Stéphane
Mallarmé - "
Et,
consumant l'encens sur ta joue ennemie, Il mêle avec les pleurs
un breuvage amoureux..." It is through poetry that
the main protagonist Julien ultimately finds freedom, having come to
realise that the stigma of his crime has made it impossible for him
ever to be a free man in the physical sense. The film does
not attempt to excuse Julien's crime, but it is eloquent and
unambiguous in its condemnation of a crime that is perhaps just as
loathsome and incomprehensible - society's unwillingness to give him
a second chance after he has paid the price that society demands of
him.
With the same compassion and commitment to social
justice that have emboldened his documentaries,
Jean-Xavier de Lestrade delivers an astute film drama that is uncompromising,
powerful and highly relevant.
© James Travers 2011
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.
Film Synopsis
Julien has paid the debt he owes society: thirteen years in prison for
a crime he committed when he was sixteen. Now, on the day of his
release, he hopes to make a clean break. Unfortunately, society
is in no hurry to forgive him. Before Julien has had time to
adjust to his new life, he is emotionally derailed when he encounters a
young woman named Emilie. He knows that she alone can help him
to come to terms with the past, but she is instantly repelled by
him. Emilie has no desire to let him rake over painful
memories. In fact, if she had a chance, she would almost
certainly kill him...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.