It was the premise of this "dirty" little story that caught my eye: a wife engages a prostitute to rekindle the sexual desires of her unfaithful husband. For herself. Yes: the wife (Fanny Ardant) actually employees the prostitute (Emmanuelle Beart) to give the husband (Gerard Depardieu) a really good time, all the while without him realizing that his wife is paying for it. Her hope is that, once his sexual frustrations are worked out, he'll stop his philandering and return to her loving arms...
Want to bet on her chances?
An odd story, to say the least, so I just had to watch it. Then I found out it turned into something else: a real love story. Or, perhaps -- what we all think passes for love, in marriage? Hence, slowly and inexorably, the protagonists strip away the rites of married life, exposing the hypocrisy, innuendo, and outright lies that force people to continue in a sterile relationship.
Very French, very bawdy in a wordy sense and very introspective: Lots of long searching looks, sparse dialog, mood swings, tawdry night clubs, and conversations (when they occur) about the finer details of having sex.
Depardieu provides an excellent image of a man at a loss at work and in his marriage, and he's not at all sure why; Ardant (an actress I'd not seen much of until this outing) underplays the aggrieved wife with what appears to be a stoic calm but which is actually calculated indifference; and the very luminous Beart is perfect as the avaricious pro ready to make a few too many francs at the expense of the wife's dignity. I hadn't seen Beart in a movie since Manon des Sources (1986), in her role as the vengeful daughter of Jean de Florette; she ages well, no question...
As I implied above, however, all is not what it seems to be, especially when it comes to relationships. There is an exquisite twist (a careful viewer will spot the clues that point directly to the twist) to the story that forces the wife to face the reality of her marriage and thus make a choice. And the viewer is left with two questions: was it all worth the expense? And, did she make the right choice?
If you like these French actors, and French movies in general, I thoroughly recommend this one. Not for kiddies or even teenagers, though.
Want to bet on her chances?
An odd story, to say the least, so I just had to watch it. Then I found out it turned into something else: a real love story. Or, perhaps -- what we all think passes for love, in marriage? Hence, slowly and inexorably, the protagonists strip away the rites of married life, exposing the hypocrisy, innuendo, and outright lies that force people to continue in a sterile relationship.
Very French, very bawdy in a wordy sense and very introspective: Lots of long searching looks, sparse dialog, mood swings, tawdry night clubs, and conversations (when they occur) about the finer details of having sex.
Depardieu provides an excellent image of a man at a loss at work and in his marriage, and he's not at all sure why; Ardant (an actress I'd not seen much of until this outing) underplays the aggrieved wife with what appears to be a stoic calm but which is actually calculated indifference; and the very luminous Beart is perfect as the avaricious pro ready to make a few too many francs at the expense of the wife's dignity. I hadn't seen Beart in a movie since Manon des Sources (1986), in her role as the vengeful daughter of Jean de Florette; she ages well, no question...
As I implied above, however, all is not what it seems to be, especially when it comes to relationships. There is an exquisite twist (a careful viewer will spot the clues that point directly to the twist) to the story that forces the wife to face the reality of her marriage and thus make a choice. And the viewer is left with two questions: was it all worth the expense? And, did she make the right choice?
If you like these French actors, and French movies in general, I thoroughly recommend this one. Not for kiddies or even teenagers, though.