Film Review
In 2007, first-time director Céline Sciamma garnered worldwide
acclaim with her debut feature
Naissance des pieuvres, an
incisive and refreshingly down-to-Earth portrayal of adolescent
homosexual awakening taken from a distinctly feminine
perspective. For her follow-up feature, Sciamma remains with the
thorny subject of sexual identity, but takes us back a few years, into
that halcyon first summer of childhood when, as infants, we
became conscious of our gender identity and perhaps began to sense the
earliest glimmerings of our sexual orientation. Whilst its
subject matter may be somewhat provocative, such is the sincerity and
warmth with which the film is crafted that it can hardly fail to win
over an audience.
Tomboy is a film that
challenges our assumptions about gender, that it is purely a
physiological phenomenon, fixed at birth, and instead shows us that
gender is in fact far more fluid and ambiguous in nature, inextricably
linked to the psychological development of the individual. It
also persuades us that identity is not just a matter of who we think we
are, but also of how others perceive us. When the main character
of the film is introduced to us, we immediately mistake her for a boy -
she looks exactly like a boy, she speaks like a boy, she acts like a
boy. In fact, we go on believing she is a boy until the bath-time
reveal convinces us of our error, and even then we are scarcely able to
believe what we see. Our preconceptions are dangerous things, as
the film powerfully demonstrates.
Not only is
Tomboy a film
that tackles a complex issue with sensitivity and understanding,
it is also an enchanting piece of cinema in its own right, beautifully
photographed, admirably lacking in self-awareness and excelling as much in the
quality of its performances as in its writing and
mise-en-scène. It is also one of the most authentic and
moving portrayals of childhood that has ever been committed to
celluloid, reminiscent of François Truffaut's
L'Argent
de poche (1976). As in Truffaut's film,
Tomboy deftly accomplishes a
child's eye view of the world, beguiling us with the arresting
naturalistic quality of the performances whilst luring us into a
universe that is unmistakably that of the child, one that is purely
instinctive and sensual, as yet untainted by the terrible passions and
vices of adulthood.
What makes the film so engaging, so harrowingly believable are the remarkable
contributions from the principal child actors. Zoé
Héran and Jeanne Disson (who play Laure/Michael and Lise
respectively) are extraordinary to the point of heart-breaking, their
portrayals far more convincing and engaging than any adult actor would
ever be capable of delivering. Nothing can prepare us for
the sheer cruelty of the film's ending which, although entirely
predictable (clearly Laure's deception is going to be exposed at some
point), is almost excruciating to watch, such is the heartrending sense
of injustice that these two delightful young actresses bring to the
screen.
Tomboy is a
major achievement for a young filmmaker with relatively little
experience, a film that is effortlessly true to life and one that cannot
fail to leave a lasting impression on anyone who watches it.
© James Travers 2011
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Film Synopsis
Laure is ten years old and delights in being something of a
tomboy. Pretty dolls and fancy dresses have no interest for
her. She would rather kick a ball about and act like a boy.
In fact she wishes she was a boy. When she moves to a new
neighbourhood one summer, she gets her chance to fulfil her
dream. Not knowing her, the children in the area mistake her for
boy, and so she introduces herself as Michael. Not only are the
boys deceived, evidenced by the fact that they let Laure/Michael play
with them, but so is Lise, a sweet little girl who cannot help falling
in love with her...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.