The film follows the titular psychiatrist (Virginie Efira) who has decided to end her practice to author a book while one of the few patients she has is an actress embroiled in an affair with her co-star where Sibyl becomes enamored with her to the point that the woman becomes an inspiration to her novel. It is a film that explores the life of a woman who is trying to restart her writing career as she ended her psychiatry practice while retaining a few patients including this up-and-coming actress who has found herself in an affair with her co-star just as she’s about to go to Italy to make a film that she’s starring in. The film’s screenplay by Justine Triet and Arthur Harari has an offbeat narrative as it relates to Sibyl who is trying to write a book yet she often looks back at elements of her own past including a tumultuous relationship with her former flame Gabriel (Niels Schneider) whom she hadn’t seen in years while she cares for their daughter Selma (Jeanne Arra-Bellanger) with her husband Etienne (Paul Hamy) whom she shares another daughter with him in Livia (Liv Harari).
The script plays into Sibyl’s own struggles in writing while thinking about her past as her meeting with the actress Margot Vasilis (Adele Exarchopoulos) would give her ideas with her book though her mentor/shrink Dr. Katz (Arthur Harari) feels that it is a bad idea as well as being unethical in her profession. Sibyl would get calls from Margot who starts to unravel emotionally and mentally where Sibyl reluctantly travels to the island of Stromboli to be onset to help Margot who is having an affair with co-star in Igor Maleski (Gaspard Ulliel) although he is married to the film’s director Mikaela “Mika” Sanders (Sandra Huller). Sibyl’s presence would only add more chaos to the production where Mika would unravel at one point where Sibyl ponders if she has gone too far in the lives of people while also dealing with those who are in her life such as her husband, children, and sister Edith (Laure Calamy).
Triet’s direction is stylish for not just its unconventional narrative but also in the fact that it is set in Paris with one key sequence set in the Italian volcano island of Stromboli and its nearby locations. Triet opens the film where Sibyl talks to a colleague about ending her practice at a sushi restaurant as it sets the stage for the messiness that is to occur in the film. While there are some wide shots that Triet uses to play into the locations, much of the Triet’s direction emphasizes on close-ups and medium shots as it plays into the way characters interact with one another including some of the flashbacks in Sibyl’s life. Notably in scenes where she is with Gabriel as they are life-long friends though their romantic and sexual relationship would eventually become troubled with Edith expressing concern since Sibyl does not say much about the death of their mother. Triet also creates these unique compositions that also has this sense of repetition in the way the actors are framed as it play into Sibyl’s own sense of isolation. Even as Triet highlight a woman becoming obsessed with her new patient as the only other patient she has is a child in Daniel (Adrien Bellemare) whom she plays board games with to get him to talk.
Triet would also play into the chaos that goes in the making of a film once Sibyl arrives to Italy where she is there to help Margot who has become depressed and despondent. Even to the point where she would only listen to Sibyl who would be on a set to direct Margot that only adds the turmoil in the production. The film’s third act does not just play into Sibyl going too far into her involvement during a film shoot where Mika unravels but also an aftermath that highlights Sibyl coming to terms with her presence in an already combustible situation. Notably as she returns to France where the past would return as her obsession in creating a book about Margot would also cost her own sanity and morality. Triet does maintain this tone that is messy in its offbeat narrative, yet it works to play into a woman who realized she had gone too far in her obsession. Overall, Triet crafts a gripping and rapturous film about a woman finding a muse for her novel only to be caught up in that woman’s life and her own tumultuous past.
Cinematographer Simon Beaufils does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its low-key approach to lighting for many of the film’s nighttime interior scenes as well as some natural lighting for the daytime interior/exterior scenes. Editor Laurent Senechal does excellent work with the editing in the usage of straight rhythmic cuts to play into the drama and suspense as well as a few jump cuts to play into some of the film’s minimal humor. Production designer Toma Baqueni does amazing work with the look of Sibyl’s apartment that she lives with her family as well as her office where she meets with remaining patients she has and the villa she would stay in Italy. Costume designer Virginie Montel does fantastic work with the costumes with the women often wearing stylish clothing as well as some casual clothing while Igor would also wear some stylish and expensive clothing.
Makeup artist Sandra Campisi does terrific work with the makeup as it is minimal work into the look of the characters in the way they would appear in a film. Special effects supervisor Guy Monbillard and visual effects supervisor Hugues Namur do nice work with the film’s minimal effects for a few scenes at Stromboli as well as scenes of the film within a film. Sound editor Ingrid Simon does superb work with the sound in the way a location sounds up-close and from afar as well as the way music sounds during a film shoot. Music supervisor Thibault Deboaisne creates a fun music soundtrack that mixes all kinds of music in contributions from Nina Simone, the Raconteurs, Benoit Daniel, The Les Humphrie Singers, Roy Orbison, and some classical pieces by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Vivaldi.
The casting by Cynthia Arra and Laure Ballarin is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles from Aurelien Bellanger as an editor for Sibyl’s book, Lorenzo Lefebvre as the assistant director Galotin, Jeanne Arra-Bellanger and Liv Harari as Sibyl’s daughters in Selma and Livia respectively, and Adrien Bellemare as a young patient of Sibyl in Daniel as a child who loves to play board games as a way to talk about his problems. Arthur Harari is superb as Sibyl’s psychiatrist/mentor Dr. Katz who believes that Sibyl is putting herself in danger in involving herself with Margot’s life. Paul Hamy is terrific as Sibyl’s husband Etienne as a house-husband who stays home to watch over the children while coping with her distant behavior. Laure Calamy is fantastic as Sibyl’s sister Edith who also helps Etienne in taking care of Sibyl’s kids as she is someone still coping with the death of their mother as well as her own issues towards Sibyl including her past relationship with Gabriel.
Niels Schneider is excellent as Sibyl’s former flame Gabriel as he is seen in flashbacks as someone who was passionately in love with her only to feel slighted over her choice of career over their happiness where he would not see her again for years. Sandra Huller is brilliant as Mika as a film director trying to make a film with her husband Igor and Margot as she deals with the chaos in shooting as well as Margot’s behavior as she would become unhinged by Sibyl’s presence leading to a breakdown during a shoot. Gaspard Ulliel is amazing as Igor as a film star whom Margot is sleeping with even though he is married to the film’s director they are working on as he is charming but also is willing to get his way where he would put Sibyl into a moral quandary.
Adele Exarchopoulos is incredible as Margot Vasilis as a young actress about to get her break as she finds herself in an affair with Igor that would result in a lot of complicated issues where Exarchopoulos displays a sense of despair and angst of a woman who needs help with her own issues. Finally, there’s Virginie Efira in a phenomenal performance as the titular character as a psychiatrist who decided to end her practice, save for a few clients, to return to writing where she finds inspiration through Margot although finds herself becoming more involved with Margot’s tumultuous life where she is also forced to deal with the chaos in her own past. Efira and Exarchopoulos are the major highlights of the film in terms of the way they deal with themselves as well as their need for each other with the latter being this force of nature in the film’s second half while the former maintains this strong front only to eventually unravel where the two together bring out the best in each other.
Sibyl is a sensational film by Justine Triet as it features great performances from both Virginie Efira and Adele Exarchopoulos. Along with its supporting cast, gorgeous visuals, a wondrous music soundtrack, and its study of obsession and morality. It is a film that is not afraid to be flawed in its presentation of its characters as well as displaying what a woman will do to get inspiration for her novel only to realize own unethical decisions that would force her to deal with her own past. In the end, Sibyl is a phenomenal film by Justine Triet.
Justine Triet Films: Age of Panic - In Bed with Victoria - Anatomy of a Fall
© thevoid99 2024
Written, directed, costume designed, edited, and starring Xavier Dolan, Les Amours imaginaires (Heartbeats) is the story of two friends who both fall for the same man as it complicates their own relationship. The film is an unusual love triangle that involves two men and a woman where it’s the man and a woman that both fall for another man. Also starring Monia Chokri and Niels Schneider. Les Amours imaginaires is a ravishing and evocative film from Xavier Dolan.
The film revolves around this bizarre love triangle between two men and a woman but it’s a film where a woman and a man are in love with the same man. The idea itself is very intriguing as it’s set entirely in Montreal where these two friends meet this young man from the Quebec countryside who arrives to the city as he befriends them both. The relationship becomes complicated once the story progresses as it affects the friendship of Marie (Monia Chokri) and Francis (Xavier Dolan) who are both eager to get the attention of Nicolas (Niels Schneider).
Xavier Dolan’s screenplay is quite simple in terms of creating dramatic tension as well as the complex relationship between Marie, Francis, and Nicolas. It also parallels with testimonials from friends of Marie and Francis about their own love lives and its failures as it would play into the trouble that they would embark in their pursuit of Nicolas. Nicolas is an intriguing individual who shares the same interests of the two but he remains ambiguous about what he wants. That sense of not knowing what he wants only adds to the romantic desperation for both Marie and Francis as it would eventually cause a schism into their own friendship.
Dolan’s direction definitely emphasizes a lot on style but it manages to be so much more as Dolan is aiming for something that is very simple and intimate. There aren’t a lot of wide shots in the film but Dolan’s approach to close-ups and zoom shots for the testimonial moments are very compelling as it plays into the fallacies of love. The compositions that Dolan uses for the film are entrancing from the way he captures love scenes as well as other moments that play into Marie and Francis trying to find ways to win over Nicolas as there’s a lot of slow-motion edits that are used. Also serving as editor and costume designer, Dolan maintains that sense of style in his slow-motion presentation to play into some of the emotional elements of the film as well as some scenes in the parties. The costumes themselves help add a sense of personality to the characters as both Marie and Francis are characters with style as the former is into vintage clothing.
The direction also has this atmosphere into the way Dolan frames all three characters into a scene where it is clear that Nicolas is in the middle of these moments whether he’s watching a movie with them or sleeping in the same bed with them. It plays into Marie and Francis sort of vying for Nicolas’ affections as its second half lead to the three spending time at the country home of Nicolas’ aunt where things do get very complicated. Especially as the drama does become emotional and the close-ups become intrusive to showcase the pain that emerges in this strange love triangle. All of which leads to revelations as well as the need to grow into adulthood as it relates to what people want in relationships and such. Overall, Dolan creates a very engaging and enchanting film about a strange love triangle between a man, a woman, and another man in the middle.
Cinematographer Stephanie Anne Weber Biron does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography as it maintains something that feels natural in its many interior/exterior scenes with some stylish lighting scenes for some of the parties and intimate moments involving Marie and Francis with their own respective lovers. Set decorator Delphine Gilenas does excellent work with the look of the apartments and homes of the characters that help play into their personalities. Hair designer Philippe Sarfati does superb work with the look of the hairstyle of the three characters which also add character to the film‘s principle players.
Sound editor Sylvain Brassard does amazing work with the sound to create some unique sound textures in some of the parties scenes as well as some of the film’s intimate moments. The film’s soundtrack features an array of eclectic music from pop artists like Dalida, France Gall, and Renee Martel to electronic music from artists like the Knife, Fever Ray, Indochine, and Comet Gain as well as contributions from House of Pain and a classical piece by Johann Sebastian Bach that helps play into the many emotional aspects of the film.
The film’s phenomenal cast includes some notable small roles from Anne-Elisabeth Bosse, Olivier Morin, Magalie Lepine Blondeau, Eric Bruneau, Gabriel Lessard, and Benedicte Decary as friends of Marie and Francis who all provide testimonials about their own thoughts on love while Anne Dorval is fantastic as Nicolas’ mother whom Francis would meet during breakfast as she is also seen at a party of Nicolas as she is such a joy to watch. Niels Schneider is brilliant as Nicolas as this young man who arrives from the country as he is this ambiguous figure that seems to enjoy the company of Marie and Francis while not revealing what he really likes.
Xavier Dolan is amazing as Francis as this young man who falls deeply for Nicolas to the point that he would wear one of Nicolas’ shirts in his head and masturbate as he thinks Nicolas is in love with him. Finally, there’s Monia Chokri in a remarkable performance as Marie as a woman with a taste for vintage clothes who also falls for Nicolas as she tries to win him over through other vintage things as well as her Audrey Hepburn impressions as it’s a very jovial and fun performance.
Les Amours imaginaires is a marvelous film from Xavier Dolan that features great performances from Dolan, Monia Chokri, and Niels Schneider. It’s a film that explores the ups-and-downs about love as well as love triangles where a guy and a girl both fall for a guy. It’s a film that isn’t afraid of being style over substance while it’s also a film that also plays into what young people are looking for the crazy little thing called love. In the end, Les Amours imaginaires is a sensational film from Xavier Dolan.
Xavier Dolan Films: I Killed My Mother - Laurence Anyways - Tom at the Farm - Mommy - (It's Only the End of the World) - The Death and Life of John F. Donovan - Matthias & Maxime - (The Night Logan Woke Up) - The Auteurs #46: Xavier Dolan
© thevoid99 2015
Written, directed, co-costume designed, and starring Xavier Dolan, J’ai tue ma mere (I Killed My Mother) is the story of a 16-year old boy’s troubled relationship with his mother as he loves and hates her. The film is an exploration into a relationship between a single-divorced mother and her son as it’s told from the perspective of a young man confused by his relationship with his mother as he’s also coping with growing pains. Also starring Anne Dorval, Suzanne Clement, and Francois Arnaud. J’ai tue ma mere is a harrowing yet evocative film from Xavier Dolan.
The film explores a love-hate relationship between a 16-year old boy and his mother in the suburbs near Montreal as their relationship deteriorates in the course of a few months as it would lead to chaos and other things that played into their disintegrating relationship. Much of it is told by Hubert Minel (Xavier Dolan) as he would shoot his own video confessions to express how he loves and hates his mother Chantale Lemming (Anne Dorval) where Hubert wants to please her but also is annoyed by her. It’s a film that may have a simple story but one that is filled with a lot of complexities into a mother-son relationship as it raises questions into whether Hubert is the wild one as he’s always angry while Chantale is aloof at times where she’s often distracted by her own needs as she also changes her mind frequently. It adds to this relationship that is very tumultuous as Xavier Dolan expresses a young man’s growing frustration but also a woman feeling unappreciated and detached from her son.
Dolan’s screenplay is really more of a character study rather than a traditional script that follows this young man’s relationship with his mother. Especially as Hubert is also gay as he’s in a relationship with his classmate Antonin (Francois Arnaud) as Antonin’s mother Helene (Patricia Tulasne) is open about it but Chantale knows nothing about Hubert’s relationship with Antonin. When Chantale does find out, it adds to the already growing tension where her anger and strange actions would lead to Hubert seeking refuge at the home of his teacher Julie Cloutier (Suzanne Clement) who is concerned about Hubert’s well-being as she also notices his gift as a writer and painter. It’s something that Chantale doesn’t really know about as things do get more complicated when Hubert’s estranged father Richard (Pierre Chagnon) appears with some news that only increased Hubert’s hatred towards his mother.
The film’s second half does change a bit once Hubert is put into a different situation and into a different world as it plays into more of Hubert’s own melancholia as well as trying to figure when he and his mother were happy. It also forces him to reflect on who he is and why he is always causing trouble as the third act also plays into Chantale’s own realization about her role as a mother.
Dolan’s direction is quite mesmerizing as it has something that has a cinema verite style in its digital video look but it’s also quite rich in the way it conveys a sense of fantasy in Hubert’s desire for a good relationship with his mother. There’s also elements that feels real in the way Dolan uses hand-held cameras while shooting in black-and-white for his confessional scenes that are very intimate with its usage of close-ups and extreme close-ups. There’s also some 8mm footage that is shown to convey the happier times between a young Hubert and Chantale as it represents what their relationship once was as opposed to the sense of tension and turmoil that looms in their present relationship. Even as Dolan frames his characters in unique positions through medium and wide shots to play into that growing tension.
The approach to framing and how Dolan creates a lot of these mesmerizing images along with stylish insert montages add to the beauty of the film. Especially as these montages play into Hubert’s own fantasy and views about what he thinks about his mother and himself. Dolan’s usage of blurs and slow-motions for some scenes at night as well as some of the film’s emotional moments showcases Hubert’s rage. The third act definitely plays to that sense of breakdown in their relationship where both Hubert and Chantale are lost as they’re trying to understand each other from afar. Even as there’s a very chilling moment involving Chantale about her role as a mother which is a very intense moment in the film. Overall, Dolan creates a very eerie but enthralling film about a complex and tumultuous relationship between a son and his mother.
Cinematographers Stephanie Weber Biron and Nicolas Canniccioni do amazing work with the film‘s cinematography with its rich yet low-key look for many of the film‘s nighttime exterior scenes along with unique lighting for the interior scenes along with some gorgeous look in the daytime interior/exterior scenes. Editor Helene Girard does brilliant work with the editing with its very stylish approach to jump-cuts, slow-motion cuts, fast-cuts, and montages as it adds to the film‘s very offbeat tone. Set decorator Anette Belley does excellent work with the look of the home that Hubert and Chantale live in as well as Antonin’s home and how it plays into the personality of those characters.
Co-costume designer Nicole Petellier, along with Dolan, does fantastic work with the costumes from the stylish yet casual look of Hubert to the clothes that Chantale wears as it crosses the line between tacky and revolting which plays to the film‘s offbeat look and style. Visual effects supervisor Martin Lipmann does nice work with some of the film‘s minimal visual effects as it plays to a few of the fantasy sequences in the film. Sound designer Sylvain Brassard does excellent work with the sound to convey some of the sparse moments in Hubert and Chantale‘s home as well as some of the scenes that occur in the places the characters go to. The film’s music by Nicholas Savard-L’Herbier is wonderful as it’s also quite sparse in its melancholic tone with its piano-based score while the soundtrack is a mixture of classical, pop, and electronic music.
The film’s superb cast features notable small roles from Benoit Gouin as a school principal who talks to Chantale late in the film, Monique Spaziani as Chantale’s friend Denise, Patricia Tulasne as Antonin’s mother, Niels Schneider as a classmate Hubert meets in the film’s third act, and Pierre Chagnon as Hubert’s estranged father who appears to confront him with his mother in a very intense scene. Francois Arnaud is terrific as Hubert’s boyfriend Antonin who copes with Hubert’s mood as well as trying to help him as he wonders how much trouble he could get into. Suzanne Clement is fantastic as Hubert’s teacher who is amazed by his artistic talents as well as sympathetic over his unhappy home.
Anne Dorval is phenomenal as Chantale as this woman who is eager to reclaim aspects of her youth while dealing with Hubert’s many moods and the secrets that she doesn’t know about him as it’s a very intense and complex performance from the actress. Finally, there’s Xavier Dolan in a remarkable performance as Hubert as this angry young teenager who copes with his mother’s frequent forgetfulness and the sense of neglect as he acts out while displaying a sensitivity and torment that most teenagers go through in unhappy homes.
J’ai tue ma mere is an incredible film from Xavier Dolan that features powerful performances from Dolan and Anne Dorval. The film is definitely a very stylish but engaging tale about a young man’s troubled and complicated relationship with his mother. Especially as Dolan pulls no punches in creating characters who are very dysfunctional and maybe don’t have the tools to be mothers and sons. In the end, J’ai tue ma mere is a sensational film from Xavier Dolan.
Xavier Dolan Films: Heartbeats - Laurence Anyways - Tom at the Farm - Mommy - (It's Only the End of the World) - The Death and Life of John F. Donovan - Matthias & Maxime - (The Night Logan Woke Up) - The Auteurs #46: Xavier Dolan
© thevoid99 2015
