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jdrennan13
Reviews
Eiffel (2021)
A triumph
I was lucky enough to see this film in Sydney for the French Film Festival. It captures not only a wonderful engineering feat, but also the thrilling life and times of the Eiffel Tower's creator. A man who was unrelenting in his desire to create a legacy, regardless of the pressure on him.
I can only hope that this film gets a cinematic release that it deserves in Europe and elsewhere.
Make Way for Tomorrow (1937)
Struggled to finish it
The premise is interesting, but I was barely able to finish this film given how irritating the two elderly leads are. I do not understand how one is meant to feel any sort of sympathy given how annoying they are. I wanted to enjoy this film, but struggled to finish the thing.
Nous finirons ensemble (2019)
Worth the wait
I was lucky enough to see this film in Marseille, even though I am from Sydney, Australia so will have to wait a long time to see it in English.
The film centres on the birthday of the formerly bon viveur Max and his gang of at times free-loading, yet loving friends. It is evident that life hasn't treated him well.
I adored Little White Lies, which highlighted Guillaume Canet's great skill as a director, and once again he doesn't disappoint, I would even say surpassing the first film. Stand out performances from his partner Marion Cotillard, and mainstays such as Gilles Leleloche and Francois Cluzet.
A film about friendship, family and the strain that can be put on them by life changing. I feel lucky to have seen it.
Les fantômes d'Ismaël (2017)
I have never seen so many people leave the cinema
As many have said, the premise of this film is very good, but it is lost in a mess of structure that would shame must university film society. It is a number of stories within a story, which lose momentum as the film continues. The main plot is the sudden reappearance of a film maker's wife after an absence of 21 years, but this is submerged by unnecessary interludes.
I watched the film at the French Film Festival in Sydney, and throughout the film people trickled out, not returning. What kept me was the excellent acting as ever from Cotillard and Gainsbourg, but you honestly wonder why and how they signed up for such a messy screenplay.
If this film was a blind date, it would talk erratically at you for nearly two hours, then leave abruptly for no reason. Avoid.
Rock'n Roll (2017)
Tres amusant
I went into this film in Sydney with very little in the way of expectations. I found it extremely funny, and Canet is extremely self depreciating throughout the film as he looks as his life as an elder statesman of French cinema. The film is very funny, and excels in revealing the nuances of French cinema through Canet and his wife Marion Cotillard. I felt that it definitely could have been about half an hour shorter, so could have done with tighter editing perhaps. However, if you want a feel-good film look no further. Allez Canet.