After seeing Tar, I was curious to see more of Noemie Merlant. Well I mean that in a more dramatic, less prurient way. Merlant here is seen naked quite a bit, and she's not alone in that respect.
Scantily clad men and to be clear mostly women don't compensate much for a scanty story. At the end we are told this movie is somewhat "inspired" by Marie de Regnier and Pierre Louys circa the late 1800's. Not enough quotes to clothe that "inspired."
Besides one scene where Marie wrests the camera away from her lover Louys, indicating that really this is more about power than pleasure or passion, I felt the film failed to deliver. In my mind, the character of Marie's husband reflected the movie, meek and impotent.
The dynamics between siblings and friends and family felt cheap; as cheap as the parents of Marie and her sisters; those parents looking to capitalize on their offspring as glorified chattel. Hard for me to shake off the vibe that this was 21st century cinematic lipstick on 19th century piggishness.
Oddly it is a shame Merlant were not clothed more often, she gets to do more acting in those moments. The stroll before the cringe-worthy scene at the zoo was one moment where you see Merlant at her most captivating in my opinion.
Again, I felt she was the secret star of Tar despite Blanchett's powerhouse performance. This film may make some half-hearted offerings towards female independence, but it's mission seems clearly bent on submissiveness.
Perhaps the unintentional irony of the camera's role in exploitation now vs then adds a level to this experience above the flash of flesh, but sadly I recommend saying No, to this Noemie vehicle.
Scantily clad men and to be clear mostly women don't compensate much for a scanty story. At the end we are told this movie is somewhat "inspired" by Marie de Regnier and Pierre Louys circa the late 1800's. Not enough quotes to clothe that "inspired."
Besides one scene where Marie wrests the camera away from her lover Louys, indicating that really this is more about power than pleasure or passion, I felt the film failed to deliver. In my mind, the character of Marie's husband reflected the movie, meek and impotent.
The dynamics between siblings and friends and family felt cheap; as cheap as the parents of Marie and her sisters; those parents looking to capitalize on their offspring as glorified chattel. Hard for me to shake off the vibe that this was 21st century cinematic lipstick on 19th century piggishness.
Oddly it is a shame Merlant were not clothed more often, she gets to do more acting in those moments. The stroll before the cringe-worthy scene at the zoo was one moment where you see Merlant at her most captivating in my opinion.
Again, I felt she was the secret star of Tar despite Blanchett's powerhouse performance. This film may make some half-hearted offerings towards female independence, but it's mission seems clearly bent on submissiveness.
Perhaps the unintentional irony of the camera's role in exploitation now vs then adds a level to this experience above the flash of flesh, but sadly I recommend saying No, to this Noemie vehicle.