L'appartement (1996)
(The Apartment)
Country: FR/SP/IT
Technical: col 116m
Director: Gilles Mimouni
Cast: Vincent Cassel, Romane Bohringer, Jean-Philippe Ecoffey, Monica Bellucci
Synopsis:
A chance encounter with a beautiful woman leaves a soon-to-be-married businessman hopelessly entwined in more than one erotic relationship, and an intrigue involving both.
Review:
Luxuriantly old-fashioned romantic thriller, like a cross between Sliding Doors and Basic Instinct, as if the French had just discovered you could remix Hitchcock like Brian De Palma. It seemed slick at the time but with hindsight can be seen as dated even when it came out, straining for romantic allure and lush visuals as if Cassel could be Jimmy Stewart. The problem is that with its criss-crossing coincidences, flashbacks and constant running around there is no time left for character and the protagonists remain cyphers. We have no idea with whom Max is really in love, and the plot ultimately makes no kind of sense. Is Alice really half-mad? Why does she try to kill herself and then let Max go at the end without a regret? Why does Max so quickly switch from Lisa to Alice? If the flat were doused with fuel, wouldn't Lisa smell it as soon as she came in? What about Max's professional obligations? So many questions, and the wonder is that we care so little about the answers.
(The Apartment)
Country: FR/SP/IT
Technical: col 116m
Director: Gilles Mimouni
Cast: Vincent Cassel, Romane Bohringer, Jean-Philippe Ecoffey, Monica Bellucci
Synopsis:
A chance encounter with a beautiful woman leaves a soon-to-be-married businessman hopelessly entwined in more than one erotic relationship, and an intrigue involving both.
Review:
Luxuriantly old-fashioned romantic thriller, like a cross between Sliding Doors and Basic Instinct, as if the French had just discovered you could remix Hitchcock like Brian De Palma. It seemed slick at the time but with hindsight can be seen as dated even when it came out, straining for romantic allure and lush visuals as if Cassel could be Jimmy Stewart. The problem is that with its criss-crossing coincidences, flashbacks and constant running around there is no time left for character and the protagonists remain cyphers. We have no idea with whom Max is really in love, and the plot ultimately makes no kind of sense. Is Alice really half-mad? Why does she try to kill herself and then let Max go at the end without a regret? Why does Max so quickly switch from Lisa to Alice? If the flat were doused with fuel, wouldn't Lisa smell it as soon as she came in? What about Max's professional obligations? So many questions, and the wonder is that we care so little about the answers.
(The Apartment)
Country: FR/SP/IT
Technical: col 116m
Director: Gilles Mimouni
Cast: Vincent Cassel, Romane Bohringer, Jean-Philippe Ecoffey, Monica Bellucci
Synopsis:
A chance encounter with a beautiful woman leaves a soon-to-be-married businessman hopelessly entwined in more than one erotic relationship, and an intrigue involving both.
Review:
Luxuriantly old-fashioned romantic thriller, like a cross between Sliding Doors and Basic Instinct, as if the French had just discovered you could remix Hitchcock like Brian De Palma. It seemed slick at the time but with hindsight can be seen as dated even when it came out, straining for romantic allure and lush visuals as if Cassel could be Jimmy Stewart. The problem is that with its criss-crossing coincidences, flashbacks and constant running around there is no time left for character and the protagonists remain cyphers. We have no idea with whom Max is really in love, and the plot ultimately makes no kind of sense. Is Alice really half-mad? Why does she try to kill herself and then let Max go at the end without a regret? Why does Max so quickly switch from Lisa to Alice? If the flat were doused with fuel, wouldn't Lisa smell it as soon as she came in? What about Max's professional obligations? So many questions, and the wonder is that we care so little about the answers.