Clouds of Sils Maria (2014)
Country: FR/GER/SW
Technical: col/2.40:1 124m
Director: Olivier Assayas
Cast: Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart, Chloë Grace Moretz
Synopsis:
Accompanied by her young P.A., an established but ageing actress is on her way to collect an award on behalf of a noted playwright in Switzerland when the latter dies suddenly. They spend the spring in his alpine chalet, walking, drinking and rehearsing the older part in his famous two-hander with which the actress began her career. As she prepares for this new theatrical project with a noted director, she clashes with her friend and employee over their interpretation of the two characters.
Review:
A film that operates on various levels of actualization and performance: how age informs your understanding of character as an actress; how characters' lives can bleed into professional/personal relationships; how as director your actresses' careers reflect and/or impact the roles they play. Indeed, there is so much in Assayas's wordy screenplay, as if he is warming to the possibilities of a female-centred scenario, that it groans under the weight: overlong (part one, part two, epilogue), portentous (disappearance of a key character at climax point), and distractingly gorgeous to look at (Swiss Alps, bit of folklore about serpentine cloud formations), it posits a third female character à la All About Eve, with sideswipes at the commercial film world that seem archly out of touch. In short, there is much to enjoy in the performances but your attention may be flagging by the time you get to the uplifting climactic dressing room dialogue.
Country: FR/GER/SW
Technical: col/2.40:1 124m
Director: Olivier Assayas
Cast: Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart, Chloë Grace Moretz
Synopsis:
Accompanied by her young P.A., an established but ageing actress is on her way to collect an award on behalf of a noted playwright in Switzerland when the latter dies suddenly. They spend the spring in his alpine chalet, walking, drinking and rehearsing the older part in his famous two-hander with which the actress began her career. As she prepares for this new theatrical project with a noted director, she clashes with her friend and employee over their interpretation of the two characters.
Review:
A film that operates on various levels of actualization and performance: how age informs your understanding of character as an actress; how characters' lives can bleed into professional/personal relationships; how as director your actresses' careers reflect and/or impact the roles they play. Indeed, there is so much in Assayas's wordy screenplay, as if he is warming to the possibilities of a female-centred scenario, that it groans under the weight: overlong (part one, part two, epilogue), portentous (disappearance of a key character at climax point), and distractingly gorgeous to look at (Swiss Alps, bit of folklore about serpentine cloud formations), it posits a third female character à la All About Eve, with sideswipes at the commercial film world that seem archly out of touch. In short, there is much to enjoy in the performances but your attention may be flagging by the time you get to the uplifting climactic dressing room dialogue.
Country: FR/GER/SW
Technical: col/2.40:1 124m
Director: Olivier Assayas
Cast: Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart, Chloë Grace Moretz
Synopsis:
Accompanied by her young P.A., an established but ageing actress is on her way to collect an award on behalf of a noted playwright in Switzerland when the latter dies suddenly. They spend the spring in his alpine chalet, walking, drinking and rehearsing the older part in his famous two-hander with which the actress began her career. As she prepares for this new theatrical project with a noted director, she clashes with her friend and employee over their interpretation of the two characters.
Review:
A film that operates on various levels of actualization and performance: how age informs your understanding of character as an actress; how characters' lives can bleed into professional/personal relationships; how as director your actresses' careers reflect and/or impact the roles they play. Indeed, there is so much in Assayas's wordy screenplay, as if he is warming to the possibilities of a female-centred scenario, that it groans under the weight: overlong (part one, part two, epilogue), portentous (disappearance of a key character at climax point), and distractingly gorgeous to look at (Swiss Alps, bit of folklore about serpentine cloud formations), it posits a third female character à la All About Eve, with sideswipes at the commercial film world that seem archly out of touch. In short, there is much to enjoy in the performances but your attention may be flagging by the time you get to the uplifting climactic dressing room dialogue.