Love Songs (2007 film)

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 12/18/08 w/ Additional Edits.

Written and directed by Christophe Honore, Les Chansons d'Amour (Love Songs) is the story of a young couple who bring in a young woman into their lives. A threesome occurs as things become complicated as it's all told through song. A mix of tragedy, humor, and romance, the film is a tribute to the French New Wave as well as something upbeat with most French films often driven by cynicism. Starring Louis Garrel Ludivine Sagnier, Chiara Mastroianni, Clotilde Hemse, and Gregoire Leprince-Ringuet. Les Chansons d'Amour is an excellent film from Christophe Honore.

A young man named Ismael (Louis Garrel) is in love with Julie (Ludivine Sagnier). Ismael is also in love with Alice (Clotilde Hemse) as all three embark on a threesome that all three seem to be into. Yet, Julie is starting to be tired from the threesome as Ismael and Alice are also working together. During a breakfast with Julie's parents and two sisters, Julie and Ismael attend where Ismael entertain the family. Yet, Julie reveals to her older sister Jeanne (Chiara Mastroianni) about the threesome as her mother (Brigitte Rouan) listens as well. After eating dinner at a bar with Alice, Ismael and Julie go with Alice to a concert as on the way. Alice reveals that her role in the relationship was to bring them together. At the concert, Alice meets a guy named Gwendal (Yannick Renier) but Julie feels ill where something horrible happens.

Now alone, Ismael is confused on what to do as Jeanne arrives at the apartment to pick up Julie's things. With Ismael at work, his relationship with Alice has changed where she's now living with Gwendal and his little brother Erwann (Gregoire Leprince-Ringuet). Erwann is attracted to Ismael though Ismael isn't sure about this as he befriends him. With Jeanne now living at his apartment for a while, Ismael hangs out with Erwann though still haunted by the memory of what happened to Julie. During a lunch with Julie's family, it's been revealed that Ismael has inherited some money which he refuses to take. After a one-night stand with a bartender named Aude (Annabelle Hettman, Ismael learns that Jeanne is at the apartment still wanting to talk to him.

With Alice wanting to break up with Gwendal, she is convinced that she's followed by Erwann but is really following Ismael. Unsure of Erwann's intentions, he decides to continue the friendship as they grow close. When Alice gets contacted by Julie's mother and sister Jasmine (Alice Butaud), they wanted to know what was going on in Julie's relationship with Ismael. When Jeanne learns of how Ismael is coping, she confronts Ismael about what happened with Julie where Ismael is trying to figure out what went wrong as well.

The film is about the impact of a threesome between a young man and two women and the aftermath of how the young man tries to cope with the loss of one woman. When the other pulls away to form a relationship of her own with another man, the character of Ismael goes into a period of grieving and just trying to figure out where to go to next. All of this is done in song as several characters sing to convey what they're feeling and such. The approach is done naturally thanks in part to Christophe Honore's direction where it feels natural instead of staged. With his hand-held approach, on-location shooting, and compositions reminiscent of the French New Wave style. Though it's not perfect due to a few pacing issues and plot-staging. Honore does create a film that is truly entertaining and full of life despite its thematic tone towards tragedy.

Cinematographer Remy Chervin does excellent work with the film's colorful shots of Paris in the day and nighttime in its exterior settings along with wonderful blue-like shots of some of the film's interiors and soft lighting to convey the haunting tone of the film. Editor Chantal Hymans does a fabulous job with the film's editing, notably with speeding some scenes for humor along with cutting to play up to the film's musical tone as his editing is a highlight. Production designer Samuel Deshors and art director Emmanuelle Cuillery do an excellent job with the film's look for the home of Ismael and Julie along with the place Ismael and Alice works at. Costume designer Pierre Canitrot does a wonderful job with the film's costumes with the stylish dresses that Ludivine Sagnier wears to the suits that Louis Garrel wears along with the more youthful yet stylish clothes that Gregoire Leprince-Ringuet wears.

Sound editors Valerie Deloof and Agnes Ravez along with recordist Jean-Alexandre Villemer do excellent job in capturing the sound in its location as well as the vocal performances of the actors. The film's original music by Alex Beaupain is a wonderful mix of pop, rock, and ballads as all the actors do their own singing with the sultry Ludivine Sagnier bringing a breathy quality to her vocals with Chiara Mastroianni having a raspier quality that's reminiscent in the vocal style of her mother Catherine Deneuve. Louis Garrel had a more straight quality that works as someone who isn't a great vocalist in the traditional sense but managed to bring the emotional despair needed for those songs.

The cast is definitely filled with memorable performances from Jean-Marie Winling as Julie's father, Yannick Renier as Gwendal, Annabelle Hettman as Aude, and Alice Butaud as Julie's sister Jasmine. Brigitte Rouan is good as the concerned mother of Julie who wonders about Ismael's own emotional state in the aftermath of what had happened. Gregoire Leprince-Ringuet is wonderful as Erwann, the young man who has a thing for Ismael as he tries to flirt with him and such. Clotilde Hemse is very good as Alice, the third woman in the relationship who is the bridge between Julie and Ismael. Yet when that ends, she tries to move forward while providing some insight to Julie's family about that relationship.

Chiara Mastroianni is great as Julie's older sister Jeanne who is having an affair of her own, while dealing with loss and Ismael's behavior. Ludivine Sagnier is wonderfully divine as Julie, the woman of Ismael's life who feels frustrated as she tries to question about the status of her love life. Finally, there's Louis Garrel in a brilliant performance as Ismael. The protagonist who deals with loss and his own existential crises as Garrel brings a great sense of humor, charm, and subtlety to his performance.

Les Chansons d'Amour is an excellent and entertaining film from Christophe Honore featuring a superb performance from Louis Garrel. Fans of youthful, vibrant French films will enjoy it for its entertainment, bending of genres, and thematic tone. The film also has something for film buffs in its ode to the French New Wave while Louis Garrel is clearly becoming one of France's best young and rising talents in his work with Honore, Bernardo Bertolucci, and Francois Ozon among others. In the end, for a film with some excellent songs, musings on life, and that is entertaining. Les Chansons d'Amour is the film to go check out.

Christophe Honore Films: (Nous deux) - (Close to Leo) - (Seventeen Times Cecile Cassard) - (Ma Mere) - (Dans Paris)- (La Belle Personne) - (Making Plans for Lena) - (Man at Bath) - (The Beloved (2011 film))

© thevoid99 2014

Chicken with Plums

Based on the graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi, Poulet aux prunes (Chicken with Plums) is the story about the final days of a violinist as he recalls his life and the love that he lost. Written for the screen and directed by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Parronaud, the film is a look into the life of a musician whose passion for music has him being conflicted with the realities of his own life as he continually thinks about the woman he loved and lost. Starring Mathieu Almaric, Edouard Baer, Maria de Medeiros, Golshifteh Farahani, Eric Caravaca, Chiara Mastroianni, Jamel Debbouze, and Isabella Rossellini. Poulet aux prunes is a ravishing yet heartfelt film from Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Parronaud.

The film is this visually-imaginative tale about the life of Nasser Ali Khan (Mathieu Almaric) in the eight final days of his life as he is a man eager to find the right violin to replace the one his wife Faranguisse (Maria de Medeiros) had destroyed out of anger. After some trials and tribulations where he traveled all the way to find the right one, it becomes clear that his journey had been unfulfilling as he spends these last eight days wanting to die and thinking about his life. Notably as he thinks about the love of his life in Iran (Golshifteh Farahani) whom he had fallen in love with when he was a young man but circumstances kept them apart forcing him to channel his pain through his playing where they wouldn’t see each other for more than 20 years.

The screenplay by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Parronaud takes Satrapi’s story about this man who is really her uncle as he had led a life that was quite adventurous but also troubled due to the heartbreak he endures as well as how his life turned out. Yet, the narrative isn’t told in a conventional manner as it sort of moves back-and-forth to those eight final days to the life that Nasser Ali had as a child to an adult. The material about Nasser Ali’s life is also told in an unconventional manner by showing parts of his life in a non-linear manner as it relates to his relationship with his mother (Isabella Rossellini) and his younger brother Abdi (Eric Caravaca). There’s also moments in the story where Nasser Ali thinks about his children when they become adults where his daughter Lili (Chiara Mastroianni) would endure her own troubles while his son Cyrus (Christian Friedel) conforms to the mediocre life in America. Though Nasser Ali wasn’t the perfect father, he was at least there for his kids as it would involve their more uptight mother.

The film’s direction is definitely full of imagination in the way they recreate 1958 Tehran and the years before that as it has a wonderful sense of style where a lot of its dramatic moments are straightforward but are filled with very mesmerizing shots. Some of the more stranger moments involves lots of bizarre visual effects and makeup work to play up the sense of fantasy that Nasser Ali had lived in as it includes moments of death and other strange sequences. Some of which involved animated sequences where it plays to the story about Azrael, the Angel of Death (Edouard Baer) during a meeting with Nasser Ali. There are also moments where reality clashes with surrealism in a scene where Nasser Ali meets a strange man about the ideas of death. It all plays into this journey of loss as the overall result is a fascinating yet enchanting tale in the life of a man by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Parronaud.

Cinematographer Christopher Beaucarne does amazing work with the film‘s colorful photography from the look of 1958 Tehran with some of its lighting schemes to the more entrancing shading for some of the film’s interior scenes. Editor Stephane Roche does brilliant work with the editing in creating some montages to play up Nasser Ali‘s love life with Iran to some of the more comical moments involving the life of the adult Cyrus. Production designer Udo Kramer and set decorator Bernhard Henrich do fantastic work with the set pieces from the look of 1958 Tehran and some of the strange set pieces involving Nasser Ali’s life and his family.

Costume designer Madeline Fontaine does wonderful work with the period costumes from the suits that Nasser Ali wears to the colorful dresses of the women in Nasser Ali‘s life. Makeup supervisor Nathalie Tissier does terrific work with some of the makeup from the look of Azrael to the look of Iran in the years of her life. Visual effects supervisor Damien Stumpf does excellent work with some of the backdrops of Tehran of the times to some of the stranger moments to play up the idea of soul and faith. Sound designer Yves Renard and sound editor David Vranken do superb work with the sound to create some sound effects to the intimate moments involving his family. The film’s music by Olivier Bernet is exquisite for its mixture of classical music to more traditional Iranian music to play up the sense of melancholia in the film while music supervisor Elisse Luguren provides some of the classical pieces that Nasser Ali plays.

The casting by Anja Dihrberg does phenomenal work with the ensemble as it features appearances from Mathis Bour and Enna Balland in their respective roles as the young Cyrus and Lili, Julia Goldstern as the adult Cyrus’ wife, Chiara Mastroianni as the mysterious adult Lili, Christian Friedel as the dim-witted adult version of Cyrus, Serge Avedikian as Iran’s father, and Isabella Rossellini in a wonderful performance as Nasser Ali’s mother. Jamel Debbouze is excellent in a dual performance as an antiques dealer and a mysterious homeless man while Edouard Baer is terrific as the very chilling Azrael. Eric Caravaca is superb as Nasser Ali’s younger brother Abdi who always care for him while dealing with the decision he’s making in his life.

Maria de Medeiros is brilliant as Nasser Ali’s very proper but uptight wife Faranguisse as a woman who doesn’t understand what it’s like to be with an artist while being unaware of how much pain he has endured in his life. Golshifteh Farahani is fantastic as Iran as a woman who falls for Nasser Ali only to be forced to leave him as she would also endure the kind of pain of what she loses. Finally, there’s Mathieu Almaric in a remarkable performance as Nasser Ali Khan as a man who is a gifted violinist that is adored by everyone but hides the pain of his loss as he becomes more lost in his final days as he looks back as it’s one of Almaric’s finest performances.

Poulet aux prunes is a dazzling and imaginative film from Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Parronaud that features a brilliant performance from Mathieu Almaric. It’s a film that is filled with amazing images and a heartfelt story about the life of a musician that is told with an element of fantasy and drama. Especially as it carries something very personal as it is about Satrapi’s uncle. In the end, Poulet aux prunes is a sensational film from Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Parronaud.

Marjane Satrapi Films: Persepolis - The Voices (2014 film) - (Gang of the Jota) - (Radioactive (2019 film)

© thevoid99 2013

Persepolis

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 5/13/09 w/ Additional Edits.

While animated films in recent years, have largely been made in 3-D computer-animated formats. The idea that 2-D hand-drawn animation ceasing to exist seems ludicrous as new animators often acknowledge the talents of the hand-drawn animators of the past. In 2007, the film that garnered all of the attention in both critical acclaim and box office success is Ratatouille led by Pixar studios and the film's director Brad Bird. While the film seemed to be the most acclaimed animated film that year, it would be another film from another country and style that would managed to garner as much attention. Based on a graphic novel about a young woman's life living in Iran as a child during the days of Ayatollah Khomeini while growing up to explore Europe and return to Iran in the post-Khomeini era. It would be a film that took the graphic novel to an animated form for an unusual but powerful film simply entitled Persepolis.

Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Marjane Satrapi, Persepolis tells the story of Satrapi's life as a child living in Iran as she comes of age during the Iranian Revolution in the late 70s and early 80s while exploring Europe and returning to Iran. Directed and adapted by Satrapi with animated director Vincent Paronnaud. The film is a 2-D animated film that takes images from Satrapi's graphic novel as it's told mostly in black and white but in color for scenes in the present. Featuring the voices of Chiara Mastroianni, Catherine Deneuve, Danielle Darrieux, and Simon Abkarian. Persepolis is a touching yet mesmerizing masterpiece from Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud.

Marjane Satrapi (Chiara Mastroianni) is at a Parisian airport recalling her memories about her life in Iran as she's set to return to the country. It's 1978 when she was 9-years old kid named Marji thinking she will become a prophet as she lives with her parents (Catherine Deneuve & Simon Abkarian) and her grandmother (Danielle Darrieux). After hearing her father tell the story about the Shah's emergence from his father at a time as he's to fall, Marji and friends try to attack the son of a government official. Instead, God tells her that it's not the boys fault as she watches the Shah get overthrown and the return of Uncle Anoush. For a moment, it seems things are going to be better until the return of Ayathollah Khomeini who brings more restrictions to the country.

With her uncle sent back to prison as she visits him before his execution, Marji's view of the world becomes more dramatic. Following the start of the Iran-Iraq war and the increased restriction of Islamic law, Marji rebels through Western culture as she listens to Iron Maiden, wearing jacket that says "punk is not dead" on her back, and having a Michael Jackson badge on the jacket. Her rebellion leads her to be sent to school in Vienna. Shocked by her new surroundings and discovering new things including hardcore punk, her period in Vienna was a life-changing experience as she lost her virginity to a gay man and having a boyfriend named Markus for a while.

Following her return to Iran after the depressing experience in Vienna, she isolates herself for a while only to go to a university studying art where she meets her first husband Reza in 1992. Yet, her marriage at 21 proved to be a miserable experience as Majane turns to her grandmother for guidance prompting her to make decisions about her life.

The film is essentially a coming of age story about a young girl coming of age in a turbulent era in world history while learning about new worlds and then going back to her old country where things changed and some things haven't. Since it's an autobiographical tale based on a graphic novel, Marjane Satrapi and co-writer/co-director Vincent Paronnaud. The film does bring the graphic novel to life but instead of making it into live action. It's all animated where nearly the entire film is done in black-and-white, hand-drawn 2D animation similar to the look of the novel itself. What makes this film so interesting in its storytelling and direction is that it's told from memory as the only scenes in color are a present day Marjane at a Paris airport recalling all of this. She goes into great detail about the things in her life like how her grandmother puts jasmine flowers on her bra to make her smell fresh.

The direction of the film is truly mesmerizing in its images where it ranges from comical to dramatic. With some scenes of violence or of suspense, it's often done in a grey background with black shadows to help play up to the film's dark tone. Satrapi and Paronnaud with a team of animators and production designer Marisa Musy do fantastic work in recreating the look of Tehran and other places to explore the worlds that Marjane goes to. The scenes where its dreamlike, notably the dream conversations Marji would have with God has a wonderful look that gives an idea of heaven. The overall work in the animation is truly electrifying but also powerful in what it does for the art form itself.

Editor Stephane Roche does a brilliant job in the use of dissolves, jump-cuts, and fade-to-black shots in order to keep things moving for the film. At a running time of 95 minutes, it moves with such ease as some of the editing plays up to either the dream-like state of the film or its suspenseful, dramatic moment. Sound editor Samy Bardet does amazing work in the sounds of sirens, bombs, gunshots, and everything else to explore the chaos of Iran in the 1980s as well the raucous world of Viennese punk rock. The music of Olivier Bernet is fantastic with its mix of somber, orchestral pieces as well as comical arrangements along with the use of Middle Eastern sounds to play up to the world of Iran and its despair. The soundtrack includes Chiara Mastroianni singing Survivor's Eye Of The Tiger in a comical sequence.

The casting is great with many voice talents playing several characters with a couple of voice actors standing out in Francois Jerosme as Uncle Anoush and Gabrielle Lopes Benites as the young Marji. Danielle Darrieux is phenomenal as the voice of the wise, no-holds-barred grandmother who always gives Marjane worldly advice about the world and men. Simon Abkarian is great as the voice of the father who reveals Marjane stories about politics and how things weren't different when the Shah was in control as well as the way things were in the post-Khomeini world. Catherine Deneuve is superb as the voice of Marjane's mother (who in real-life is Chiara Mastroianni's mother), who wants Marjane to be independent while dealing with the cruelty men has towards women. Finally, there's Chiara Mastroianni doing spectacular voice work as Marjane, the protagonist who has this life-changing journey as Mastroianni voices the struggles, hardships, joys, and dissolution of a young woman dealing with all of those things in life.

When it premiered in competition at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, it was a surprise hit as it tied for the third place Jury Prize with Carlos Reygada's Silent Light. Yet, the film would continue to garner rave reviews and modest box office success internationally as it would be nominated for Best Animated Film at the Academy Awards. Though it didn't win, it still proved that there is still life in 2D hand-drawn animation as it was still considered to be one of the best films of 2007.

Persepolis is an entrancing yet heartfelt masterpiece from Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud. Those who loved the graphic novel will be amazed in what Satrapi and Paronnaud did to the images as it comes to life in such a grand yet elegant fashion. For those who love animated films, this is truly one of the decade's best as it proves that it can be as moving and striking as the current wave of 3D computer-animated films in the U.S. In the end, for a film filled with various themes on life and universal messages that are still relevant today. Persepolis is the film to go see.

Marjane Satrapi Films: Chicken with Plums - The Voices (2014 film) - (Gang of the Jota) - (Radioactive (2019 film)

© thevoid99 2011

A Christmas Tale

Directed by Arnaud Desplechin with a script co-written with Emmanuel Bourdieu.  Un conte de Noel (A Christmas Tale) tells the story of a family with strained relationships towards one another to reunite for the holidays as they learn that their mother has leukemia.  Upon this news, the children deal with their own issues as well as the fraught relationship they have towards their parents.  Starring Catherine Deneuve, Mathieu Amalric,, Jean-Paul Roussillon, Anne Consigny, Melvil Poupaud, Emmanuelle Devos, Chiara Mastroianni, and Hippolyte Giradot.  Un conte de Noel is a witty yet somber film from Arnaud Desplechin.

Junon Vuillard (Catherine Deneuve) has just received some terrifying news as she is suffering from a rare disease that can lead to leukemia.  Her only chance to beat the disease is a bone-marrow transplant as her husband Abel (Jean-Paul Roussillon) is helping out.  With the Christmas holiday approaching, Junon decides it’s time for the whole family to come together which will prove to be a difficult task.  The eldest daughter Elizabeth (Anne Consigny) is having her own issues while her 16-year old son Paul (Emile Berling) is suffering from mental illness.  With her husband Claude (Hippolyte Giradot) often at work and trying to help, Elizabeth’s youngest brother Ivan (Melvil Poupaud) makes a visit to help Paul out.  Both siblings decide to go as Ivan has already sent his twin sons Basile and Baptiste (Thomas and Clement Obled) to their grandparents.

The only other sibling that hasn’t learned about Junon or anything is Henri (Mathieu Amalric).  Having been through a lot of trouble while drinking a lot, he hasn’t seen his parents for six years.  After losing a lot of money six years ago, Elizabeth paid off Henri’s debts with the condition that he mustn’t see his parents nor Elizabeth.  Henri has kept his promise though the only family members he has contacted are Ivan and their cousin Simon (Laurent Capelluto).  Simon is a painter who has had a hard time dealing with alcoholism while helping out with his uncle Abel’s fabric dyeing plant.  Then one day, Paul decides to meet his uncle Henri revealing what’s happening to Junon as he asks him to attend the holidays.

After writing a letter to Elizabeth, Henri reveals he will be going since he and Paul are the only family members who have the blood type needed for Junon’s bone-marrow transplant.  Elizabeth dreads the day of Henri’s arrival as Ivan and his wife Sylvia (Chiara Mastroianni) arrive with Simon while Elizabeth arrives with Paul at the family home.  With Henri expected to arrive on Christmas Eve, he instead appears two days early with his girlfriend Faunia (Emmanuelle Devos) in tow.  His appearance has received mixed notices as Elizabeth remains cold towards him while Junon is aware that Henri hates her despite going along with the blood test.

With the days of Christmas and Christmas Eve approaching, everyone tries to get along though Henri doesn’t make it easy.  Even to the point when a visiting Claude decides to beat him up and leave for a day.  Even as Henri continues to drink while hide Paul’s medication with Paul becoming more nervous about being a donor and the idea that Henri might be his father.  Faunia spends time with the family as she goes to a museum where she finds Junon where the two went shopping.  When a friend of Abel’s mother Rosaimee (Francoise Bertin) visits for the holiday, she sees how much fun Henri and Ivan are having with fireworks while Simon is not involved as Sylvia notices.  Rosaimee reveals that Simon holds a torch for Sylvia.  Faunia leaves to be with her family though she had a good time despite all of the family drama that is happening. 

On Christmas Eve, the tension between Elizabeth and Henri is still boiling though things remain calm during the dinner until Simon disappears following Midnight Mass.  With Sylvia eventually finding him, Henri turns to Paul to help him calm down his fears as the family await the day of Junon’s surgery.

Most film about family gatherings during the Christmas holidays are often comical and at times, dramatic.  This film however, is different because it revolves around lots of family tension when its matriarch is suffering from a life-threatening disease.  Yet, the film opens with the tale of another member of the Vuillard family that isn’t seen.  The eldest child Joseph who died at the age of six as he is the source of grief for Elizabeth as she fears death and the source of guilt for Henri.  While Ivan wasn’t born when Joseph died, he is seen as the child that tries to be the mediator.

When they all get together, everything is tense though everyone is trying to get along.  It’s a film about family and their dysfunctions with one person in Faunia being the outsider.  While there’s a lot of drama and some moments of goofing off, it’s all about the possibility of spending the last Christmas with Junon as she faces her bone-marrow transplant from two family members.  Both of which, are messes in different ways.  The film’s screenplay does an excellent job in exploring the characters and their dysfunctions though it is flawed.  Even as some of the characters and their actions aren’t defined clearly.

Arnaud Desplechin’s direction is truly hypnotic for the way he captures many of the film’s intimate yet troubling scenes.  Particularly in the family drama where he can mix a scene of tension while inter-cutting it with something as innocent and comical.  The humor is subtle while the drama is mostly underplayed except for some of the actions of Henri.  Desplechin always keep the camera focused on what is happening and who the characters are looking at.  Even as he gives characters a chance to break the fourth wall either to reveal parts of their home or serving as narrators about the letters they’ve written.  The film’s opening begins with a funeral that is followed by a puppet-like play about the family and the loss of Joseph.  Though the running time of 152-minutes seems like a stretch and the film lags in some places.  Desplechin creates a solid yet provocative film about families during the holidays.

Cinematographer Eric Gautier brings a lush, colorful look to some of the film’s dream-like sequences and nighttime exteriors as it is shot on location in Roubaix.  Most of the daytime scenes is shot with a mixture of light-blue and gray for the mood of winter with some sunlight shown.  Gautier’s work is superb for its mood and dream-like textures for some of the film’s romantic or surreal moments from the perspective of Paul.  Editor Laurence Briaud does some excellent work with the film’s stylized editing while maintaining a leisured pace for the film though it does lag in some parts of the film.

Production designer Dan Bevan does a spectacular job with the look of the family home that is surrounded by pictures and all sorts of holiday stuff while maintaining a realness that families can relate to.  Costume designer Nathalie Raoul does a wonderful job with the costumes from the ragged look of Henri to the more regal look that Junon has with her dresses.  Sound editor Nicolas Cantin, along with mixers Sylvain Malbrant and Jean-Pierre Laforce, do some excellent work with the film’s sound to convey the atmosphere of the family home along with everything else outside of the home.  Music composer Gregoire Hetzel brings a lovely, elegant score that is a mixture of plaintive yet soft orchestral pieces and a harpsichord track that is really wonderful.  The rest of the film’s soundtrack is mostly filled with pop tunes and Xmas classics.

The cast is definitely wonderful with standouts from small appearances from Azize Kabouche as Elizabeth’s shrink and Samir Guesmi as Spatafora, a friend of the family that Ivan and Simon knew.  Thomas and Clemente Obled are wonderfully charming as the twin boys Basile and Baptiste with their joyful innocence while Emile Berling is great as the mentally-troubled Paul who is seeking some comfort from his family while dealing with his mother’s melancholic mood.  Hippolyte Giradot is excellent as Elizabeth’s husband Claude who despises Henri while he helps out Abel with the idea that Junon might live longer if she didn’t take the surgery immediately.  Laurent Capelluto is very good as Simon, a quiet artist who drinks to soothe his own issues while carrying a torch for Sylvia.  Emmanuelle Devos is also good as Faunia, Henri’s girlfriend who has a brief bond with Junon while trying to observe the chaos of Henri’s family.

Francoise Bertin is amazing in her small but memorable role as Rosaimee, an old friend of Abel’s mother who recalls the good days when Elizabeth, Henri, Ivan, and Simon were just kids.  Chiara Mastroianni is brilliant as Sylvia, Ivan’s wife who is not liked by Junon though is willing to be the joyful mom as she plays a princess for her twin boys’ play while dealing with Simon’s own feelings for her.  Melvil Poupaud is great as Ivan, the youngest child of the family who tries to help Paul while being a mediator between his siblings as he is also the most youthful and vibrant person in the family.  Jean-Paul Roussillon is wonderful as Abel, the patriarch of the family who is trying to deal with all of the family drama as well as his wife Junon as he and Catherine Deneuve have a great yet understated chemistry.

Anne Consigny is superb as Elizabeth, Paul’s melancholic mother who still holds a grudge towards her younger brother Henri.  Consigny’s performance is definitely marvelous to watch as someone trying to keep her cool while dealing with the idea that she might lose her mother sooner than she thought.  Mathieu Amalric is amazing as Henri, the middle child who is an admitted fuck-up while trying to deal with his own issues.  Amalric gives a performance that is both comical and dramatic where he can be charming but also play a dickhead.  It’s definitely a fun performance to watch. 

Finally, there’s the luminous Catherine Deneuve in a radiant performance as Junon.  Deneuve’s performance shows a regality that isn’t seen very much in a lot of actors or actresses as Deneuve plays it calm and with such subtlety as a woman who is aware that she might die.  Yet, she somehow accepts it somewhat along with the idea that she will be saved.  It’s definitely a performance that is filled with class and dignity and who better to show than the legendary Catherine Deneuve.

Un conte de Noel is a superb yet enchanting film from Arnaud Desplechin featuring top-notch performances from Catherine Deneuve, Mathieu Amalric, and Anne Consigny.  While some viewers might have a hard time understanding the characters along with how the French do Christmas.  It is still a film that people could relate to though it doesn’t have the kind of slapstick humor that most American viewers could familiarize with.  It’s definitely a film that truly captures the drama and hilarity of a family coming together for the holidays.  In the end, Un conte de Noel is a remarkable film from Arnaud Desplechin.

© thevoid99 2010