The film follows two lifelong friends in their late 20s as they attend a party with other friends where one of the friend’s younger sister is there asking for help to appear in a student short film as the two volunteer to do something leading to many revelations following their contribution to this student film. It is a film with a simple premise as it play into these two different men at crucial stages in their life as they wonder if they do have feelings for one another as Xavier Dolan creates a script that is grounded in these ideas but also play into the dynamic of the individual lives of the titular characters in Matthias (Gabriel D’Almeida Freitas) and Maxime (Xavier Dolan).
They attend a friend’s lake house for a little get together since Maxime is set to leave for Australia for two years to work while Matthias is on his way to a promotion as a young film student asks them to take part in a student film she’s making as it lead to one thing to another. Even as their individual lives is fraught with struggle as Matthias is in a relationship with a woman while Maxime is dealing with his abusive, alcoholic mother and preparing to leave. Though both men have different personalities, their friendship often brings the best in both of them yet this participation in this student film changes everything.
Dolan’s direction does have some element of style yet a lot of is straightforward in terms of its overall presentation as it is shot on location in areas at the province of Quebec and places near Montreal. While there are wide shots of these locations, including a lake where Matthias would swim in the morning after the night he and Maxime participated in the student film, where Dolan play into a world where the titular characters can thrive in. The usage of medium shots and close-ups would play into the different world of the titular characters where Matthias is often seen in a world with other people including his girlfriend Sarah (Marilyn Castonguay) and later an American friend in McAfee (Harris Dickinson). Maxime’s world has Dolan shoot him in different visual styles as it play into his shy persona as well as the troubled home life he has with his mother (Anne Dorval). These moments play into the film’s second act as it relates to the twelve days left before Maxime leaves for Australia as he and Matthias both cope with what happened on that night.
Also serving as the editor, Dolan would keep things straightforward in some of the edits while he would also use jump-cuts including some stylish cutting in a sequence for the film’s climatic going-away party scene for Maxime where Matthias and other friends attend. It would play into this world that they’re in yet Matthias is starting to also spend less time in due to the fact that he’s part of the corporate world as he has a hard time trying to balance both as well as his own thoughts on Maxime. Dolan, who also does the costume design with Pierre-Yves Gayraud, would also play up that sense of isolation in the two men in the way they dress as well as the struggle in figuring out what they are in the end. Overall, Dolan crafts a riveting and mesmerizing about two lifelong friends who deal with an act that they did that changes everything.
Cinematographer Andre Turpin does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography as it play into some of the natural and colorful elements in some of the suburban locations with the usage of natural lighting for scenes at the lake. Production designer Colombe Raby, with art director Claude Tremblay plus set decorators Genevieve Boivin, Pascale Deschenes, and Marzia Pellissier, does excellent work with the look of the lake house as well as the condo that Matthias lives in as well as the chaotic home Maxime’s mother lives in. Special effects makeup supervisor Erik Gosselin does nice work with the look of the right side of Maxime’s face that features a blotch as it play into his flawed look.
Special effects supervisor Mario Dumont and visual effects supervisor Jean-Francois Ferland do terrific work with some of the film’s special effects as it mainly features Matthias’ swim on the lake and a few bits of set-dressing. Sound designer Sylvain Brassard does superb work with the sound as it play into the way music sounds in a room or how a conversation is presented during a meeting Matthias has with his boss. The film’s music by Jean-Michel Blais is amazing for its somber piano score that features flourishes of classical elements while music supervisor Craig Gering provides an array of music that includes a classical piano piece by Franz Schubert as well as music from Britney Spears, the Pet Shop Boys, Amir Haddad, Alex Cameron and Angel Olsen, Phosphorescent, Boards of Canada, DYAN, Cass McCombs, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, George Fitzgerald and Lil Silva, Zola Jesus, the Get Up Kids, Half Moon Run, and Arcade Fire.
The film’s wonderful ensemble cast include some notable small roles from Camille Felton as the film student Ericka who asks the titular characters to appear in her student film, Harris Dickinson as an American friend of Matthias in McAfee, Anne Dorval as Maxime’s alcoholic mother, Micheline Bernard as a maternal figure for the titular character and their friends in Francine, Catherine Brunet as a friend of Maxime in Lisa, and Marilyn Castonguay as Matthias’ girlfriend Sarah who believes that something did happen that night and Matthias is not saying anything. Antoine Pilon and Adib Alkhalidey are fantastic in their respective roles as Brass and Shariff as two longtime friends of the titular characters who like to party and have fun while also knowing that the student film is bringing some revelations about the titular characters. Samuel Gauthier is superb as Frank as another friend of the two characters who is a party animal as he becomes concerned about the two during the film’s climatic party knowing that he does care despite his own wild antics. Pier-Luc Funk is excellent as Rivette as a young man who is another friend of the titular characters as he is also from a posh family that includes Ericka where he knows something is up between the two while also realizing it’s going to change things in their friendship.
Finally, there’s the duo of Gabriel D’Almeida Freitas and Xavier Dolan in incredible performances in their respective roles as the titular characters of Matthias and Maxime. Freitas’ performance is more restrained as someone who has all of the qualities of a man that is set to have it all as he’s also good looking but is struggling to deal with his own feelings for Maxime just as he’s about to get a major promotion. Dolan’s performance as Maxime is also a bit restrained except for scenes in the way his character interacts with his mother while he is also a bit more energetic at times despite his interactions with those he doesn’t know. Freitas and Dolan together do have this amazing chemistry in the way they talk with each other as well as play into this idea that they’ve been friends since childhood that lead to bigger things despite their different personalities.
Matthias & Maxime is a sensational film from Xavier Dolan that features great leading performances from Dolan and Gabriel D’Almeida Freitas. Along with its supporting cast, gorgeous visuals, study of lingering feelings and confusion, and a fun music soundtrack. The film definitely marks a newfound maturity in Dolan’s exploration of sexual identity and youth as well as the struggle to grow up further into adulthood. In the end, Matthias & Maxime is a phenomenal film from Xavier Dolan.
Xavier Dolan Films: I Killed My Mother - Heartbeats (2010 film) - Laurence Anyways - Tom at the Farm - Mommy (2014 film) - (It’s Only the End of the World) – The Death and Life of John F. Donovan - (The Night Logan Woke Up) - The Auteurs #46: Xavier Dolan
© thevoid99 2022
The film follows a young novelist/actor who is interviewed by a journalist over a book he wrote about his corresponding letters with an American TV star more than a decade ago who died mysteriously following a scandal relating to both of them. It’s a film that is an exploration of fame and celebrity as well as how his stardom won the affections of a young boy who would write corresponding letters with him that eventually would cause trouble. It’s an idea that is interesting yet Xavier Dolan and co-writer Jacob Tierney create a script that is overwhelmed with ideas but with not much to say as the result is something extremely messy and overblown. Notably as its narrative moved back and forth into the story of its titular character (Kit Harrington) and his young fan in Rupert Turner (Jacob Tremblay) while the older Rupert (Ben Schnetzer) talks about everything to the journalist Audrey Newhouse (Thandiwe Newton).
The script opens with the news of John F. Donovan’s death and Rupert’s reaction as he is watching it on TV at a coffee house with his mother Sam (Natalie Portman) as it would be the start of a non-linear reflective narrative where the older Rupert talks to Newhouse about the book he wrote. Yet, Dolan and Tierney chooses to create a parallel narrative about Donovan’s rise and his need to keep his homosexuality a secret while the young Rupert is striving to become a young actor inspired by Donovan despite the homophobic abuse he receives from classmates. It’s a narrative that showcases both Donovan and Rupert’s own issues with their mothers but also their own struggles with who they are yet it is a narrative that tends to overwhelm itself with the older Rupert coming across as someone who has become an asshole. Especially as it features various characters in their lives with the exception of a few who are either underwritten or played as clichés.
Dolan’s direction definitely has ambition and a look that plays into this world of celebrity though it is largely set in three different cities such as New York City, London, and Prague as much of the film is shot on location in Montreal. While many of Dolan’s compositions are straightforward, there are elements of style in some of the scenes he shoots as it play into some of the film’s melodrama. There are some wide and medium shots in not just scopes of the locations but also in some intimate moments with the latter as it play into conversations including scenes that play into the lives of Donovan and the young Rupert as they struggle with their own issues as well as their own parallel relationships with their mother. Yet, there are these moments in the film where Dolan’s approach to melodrama does create scenes that are either cheesy or just overwrought such as a scene where Donovan visits his mother Grace (Susan Sarandon) for Thanksgiving as Donovan is accompanied by his wife Amy (Emily Hampshire) and his brother James (Jared Keeso) as it becomes this overblown moment of Grace feeling unappreciated while she’s drunk as Donovan gets angry over his uncle being an asshole.
It’s not just that sequence that feels overwritten as well as a scene where Rupert’s corresponding letters were discovered after a homophobic classmate stole them where Rupert had to break into the boy’s house to get it back. It’s also scenes where the older Rupert talks to Newhouse about ethics where he comes off as entitled as it’s another scene that doesn’t work. Dolan also puts in an odd scene where an old man (Michael Gambon) gives Donovan some advice late in the film where it is a strange moment that never feels earned as it would be followed by a scene of Donovan at his mother’s house where he and his brother are singing Lifehouse’s Hanging By a Moment that feels tacked on and never adds anything to the story. For a film that is meant to be this exploration of scandal, misunderstanding, and celebrity, Dolan not only doesn’t say anything new but he also dwells into clichés that doesn’t feel earned nor does it help the story in general. Overall, Dolan crafts an overwritten and baffling film about a young man reflecting on his time as a kid corresponding letters to a troubled TV star.
Cinematographer Andre Turpin does excellent work with the film’s cinematography as its emphasis on low-key lighting and lack of vibrant colors do add to the film’s dramatic tone despite its messy narrative. Editors Xavier Dolan and Mathieu Denis do fine work with the editing where it does have elements of style though some of it do go overboard to play into some major dramatic moments. Production designers Anne Pritchard and Colombe Raby do fantastic work with the look of the home that Donovan’s mother live in as well as the school and home that the young Rupert goes to in London. Costume designers Michele Clapton and Pierre-Yves Gayraud do nice work with the costumes as it has some style in the clothes that Donovan wears while much of it is just casual.
Hair/makeup designer Jan Archibald does terrific work with the look of Sam with her hairstyle as well as the look of a few other characters to play into the world that Rupert and Donovan are in. Special effects supervisor Guillaume Murray and visual effects supervisor Jean-Francois Ferland do some OK with the film’s visual effects for scenes relating to the TV show Donovan is in as well as some set-dressing for some of the film’s locations. Sound designer Sylvain Brassard does superb work with the sound in the way music is played on a car radio to the atmosphere of a few party scenes as well as some sparse moments in the dramatic aspects of the film. The film’s music by Gabriel Yared is good for some of the lush orchestral score pieces that does play into the drama though it does have moments where it does feel overdone while the music soundtrack that features music from Cat Power, Adele, P!nk, Lifehouse, and the Verve do have their moments as it play into the period of the mid-2000s yet some feel used in the most clichéd ways.
The casting by Carmen Cuba is wonderful despite the fact that the cast wasn’t given strong material to work with as small roles from Jane Wheeler and Susan Almgren as two of Donovan’s aunts, Craig Eldridge as Donovan’s asshole uncle Patrick, Lukas Rolfe as the young Rupert’s homophobic classmate Cedric, Sarah Gadon as one of Donovan’s co-stars in Liz Jones, Jared Keeso as Donovan’s older brother James, and Chris Zylka in a somewhat-bland performance as an actor in Will Jefford Jr. who would have a thing with Donovan as he’s never given anything to do. Michael Gambon’s one-scene performance as a man who gives Donovan advice is amazing despite the fact that the scene made no sense while Emily Hampshire’s performance as Donovan’s wife Amy is severely underwritten as someone who never really says a lot in the film.
Kathy Bates and Amara Karan are excellent in their respective roles as Donovan’s manager Barbara Haggermaker and Rupert’s schoolteacher Miss Kureshi with the former being a no-nonsense manager who does what she can for Donovan but not put up with his bullshit while the latter is a kind-hearted teacher who believes that Rupert is gifted. Ben Schnetzer’s performance as the 21-year old Rupert is terrible as he switches between a British and American accent every now and then where he comes off as a real douche bag in how he talks about his past and observations while Thandiwe Newton manages to be solid as the journalist Audrey Newhouse as she just plays it straight and not putting up with some of the bullshit. Susan Sarandon has her moments as Donovan’s mother Grace in quieter moments though the scenes where she is melodramatic is her over-acting a bit.
Natalie Portman is superb as Rupert’s mother Sam as a woman who is baffled by her son’s relationship with Donovan through the letters where Portman does show some realism in the mother world despite some of the clichéd dramatic tropes she had to endure. Kit Harrington’s performance in the titular role is a mess as it does have moments of someone that is struggling with his identity but Harrington is unfortunately hindered by clichés that never allows his character to be fully engaging. Finally, there’s Jacob Tremblay in an incredible performance as the young Rupert Turner where Tremblay displays this air of energy and enthusiasm to the role but also someone who is just trying to understand the ways of the world as he is the only real highlight of the film.
The Death and Life of John F. Donovan is a horrendous film from Xavier Dolan. Despite the performances of Jacob Tremblay, Natalie Portman, Kathy Bates, and Amara Karan, the film is unfortunately bogged down by too many ideas in its study of celebrity and identity by favoring melodrama and tacked on moments that never says anything. It is a film that had a unique idea but fails in its execution where it dwells too much into convention while never going into places that could’ve done more with its subject matter. In the end, The Death and Life of John F. Donovan is an absolute failure from Xavier Dolan.
Xavier Dolan Films: I Killed My Mother - Heartbeats (2010 film) - Laurence Anyways - Tom at the Farm - Mommy (2014 film) - (It’s Only the End of the World) – Matthias & Maxime - (The Night Logan Woke Up) – The Auteurs #46: Xavier Dolan
© thevoid99 2021
Set in the early to late 2000s, the film revolves around an 18-year old boy whose father is a Baptist preacher as he is sent to a gay conversion therapy center where he struggles with its teachings. It’s a film that explores a young man dealing with his own sexual identity as he is sent to this gay conversion therapy center where he would spend much of the day in classes and then stay at a nearby hotel with his mother at night. Joel Edgerton’s screenplay has a narrative that follows the trials and tribulation of Jared Eamons (Lucas Hedges) as the narrative moves back and forth on his time at the conversion therapy center as well as events that questioned about his homosexuality where Eamons tries to understand what got him into this place. Notably an incident in college where he was raped by a student named Henry (Joe Alwyn) who immediately regretted his actions yet would out Eamons to his parents.
For Eamons, the time at the center under the supervision of Victor Sykes (Joel Edgerton) proves to be challenging as a couple of the attendees give Eamons advice on what to do and what not to do to get through this. Though he is ordered to not share anything about what he has to do at the center, Eamons’ mother Nancy (Nicole Kidman) does become concerned as she gets a look into the program’s handbook. While Eamons’ father in Marshall (Russell Crowe) is someone with good intentions and does want to help his son. He is someone that is from another world and doesn’t understand how to really help him as it does create a discord in his relationship with his son while being unaware of what really goes on at the center.
Edgerton’s direction is straightforward in terms of the compositions he creates as he is concerned with the world that Eamons is in which is the American South in Arkansas as it also showcases this world of gay conversion therapy centers that really try to suppress homosexuality. Shot largely on location in Atlanta with additional shots in New York City for a scene late in the third act, Edgerton does maintain a lot of simplicity into his compositions while he uses the wide and medium shots not just to get a scope of a certain location or a room but also into some of the therapy sessions that Victor tries to instill upon his attendees. There are also some close-ups to play into some of the intimate moments as well as medium shots where Edgerton would play into Eamons’ relationship with his parents as they are concerned with his mother being the one trying to understand what is happening. There are also a few tracking shots in scenes at Marshall’s car dealership as well as areas in the therapy center where Edgerton does infuse a bit of style. Still, Edgerton maintains that sense of unease in the drama such as a confessions scene where an attendee has to do a speech about his or her feelings and why that person is at the center.
Edgerton also play into the sense of growing discomfort that also include some of Eamons’ flashbacks about his arrival in college where he met Henry as well as a time where he went to an art show and met an artist. These two flashbacks along with a scene in high school with his then-girlfriend Chloe (Madelyn Cline) do emphasize his growing sexual confusion while there is also a scene in the third act where Eamons watches uncomfortably when an attendee in Cameron (Britton Sear) is accosted for failing an exercise and is then humiliated in front of family, attendees, and others in a scene that is just terrifying. It is a key moment in the film that raises questions into these methods that Sykes and his group are doing with an even more troubling aftermath that would affect Eamons and his relationship with his father though its conclusion is more about the chance of understanding and reconciliation. Overall, Edgerton crafts a riveting yet heart-wrenching film about a young man’s experience at a gay conversion therapy center.
Cinematographer Eduard Grau does excellent work with the film’s cinematography as it has elements of style with its emphasis on low-key lights for some of the scenes at night as well as some interior scenes in the day. Editor Jay Rabinowitz does brilliant work with the editing as it features stylish usage of jump-cuts as well as a slow-motion sequence while. Production designer Chad Keith, with set decorators Mallorie Coleman and Adam Willis plus art director Jonathan Guggenheim, does amazing work with the look of the center including its main hall as well as the home where Eamons and his family live in. Costume designer Trish Summerville does fantastic work with the costumes that is mostly casual with the exception of the clothes that Nancy wears.
Makeup artist Kyra Panchenko does nice work with the look of Nancy from her hairstyle as it play into that world of the American South. Visual effects supervisors Eran Dinur and Chris LeDoux do terrific work with the film’s minimal visual effects as it is largely set dressing in some parts of the film’s location. Sound editor Glenfield Payne does superb work with the sound in capturing the sparse atmosphere of the center in its main hall as well as the way music is presented on the radio or at a concert. The film’s music by Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurrians is wonderful for orchestral score that help plays into the drama while music supervisor Linda Cohen assembles a soundtrack that features some Christian music and Christian rock but also music from MGMT, Fleet Foxes, Jonsi, Underworld, Tracy Lawrence, Seether, and Troye Sivan.
The casting by Carmen Cuba is incredible as it feature some notable small roles from Madelyn Cline as Eamons’ girlfriend early in the film Chloe, Jesse LaTourette as a female attendee at the center in Sarah, Theodore Pellerin as an artist Eamons met in Xavier, Britton Sear as a young center attendee in Cameron who is struggling with the methods of the program, Troye Sivan as an attendee in Gary who tells Eamons to stick with the program and not be noticed, and Cherry Jones as a doctor in a flashback who is concerned with Eamons’ decision to go to the center as she suggests that it’s best to not go. Xavier Dolan is superb as an attendee in Jon who is hell-bent on being fixed as he refuses to be touched while Michael “Flea” Balzary is fantastic as a tough-minded counselor in Brandon who emphasizes on masculinity to help out with the therapy through some extreme physical challenges. Joe Alwyn is excellent as Henry as a young college student Eamons meets where things don’t exactly go well as he would end up making things worse.
Joel Edgerton is brilliant as Victor Sykes as the director of the conversion therapy center who believes he is trying to help these young people as he is someone with good intentions but his methods end up being questionable and at times overwhelming to the point of abuse. Russell Crowe is amazing as Eamons’ father Marshall as a Baptist pastor who also runs an auto dealership who is concerned for his son yet is uncertain in what to do as Crowe does bring in this complexity into a man that does love his son but is also a man of God as he’s someone that is conflicted where Crowe plays him with great restraint as well as be someone that is full of fear though his heart is in the right place.
Nicole Kidman is radiant as Eamons’ mother Nancy as this air of warmth and understanding as a woman who does love her faith but she also loves her son as she accompanies him to the center while trying to figure out what they’re doing as Kidman just has this air of grace while knowing when to be the mama bear. Finally, there’s Lucas Hedges in a phenomenal performance as Jared Eamons as an 18-year old kid who is struggling with his sexual identity as well as his own experiences with homosexuality where he’s unsure if he’s done anything wrong while also dealing with the intense therapy sessions that has gotten him more confused as it is a career-defining performance from Hedges.
Boy Erased is an incredible film from Joel Edgerton that features great performances from Lucas Hedges, Russell Crowe, and Nicole Kidman. Along with its supporting cast, amazing visuals, and its themes about sexual identity and its conflicts with faith, the film is a unique character study of a young man trying to understand himself but also in the world that he’s raised in and their reluctance to accept who he is. In the end, Boy Erased is a phenomenal film from Joel Edgerton.
© thevoid99 2021
Written and directed by Drew Goddard, Bad Times at the El Royale is the story of seven strangers who stay at a hotel at the California-Nevada border in 1969 where strange things occur as it all lead to their own secrets. The film is a neo-noir thriller that explore a single night in this mysterious hotel as it also involved a major incident that occurred a decade earlier. Starring Jeff Bridges, Dakota Johnson, Cynthia Erivo, Jon Hamm, Cailee Spaeny, Lewis Pullman, and Chris Hemsworth. Bad Times at the El Royale is a gripping and haunting film from Drew Goddard.
Set in one day at the El Royale hotel on the California-Nevada border in 1969, the film revolves around a group of people who arrive at the hotel as they each carry a secret as they stay for the night where things would get stranger and terrifying as it goes on. It’s a film with a simple premise that play into these visitors and why they’re in this hotel as Drew Goddard’s script showcases the life of these inhabitants in small sections of the film. Among these visitors includes a Catholic priest in Father Daniel Flynn (Jeff Bridges), a singer in Darlene Sweet (Cynthia Erivo), a hippie in Emily Summerspring (Dakota Johnson), and a salesman in Laramie Seymour Sullivan (Jon Hamm). The hotel’s lone employee in Miles Miller (Lewis Pullman) is also a mysterious figure as he seeks to have a conversation with Father Flynn unaware of Father Flynn’s intentions at the hotel nor the intentions of the other guests. Emily has a hostage named Rose (Cailee Spaeny) while Father Flynn is trying to find something in one of the rooms in the Nevada section of the hotel. Darlene is on her way to Reno for a job while Sullivan is at the hotel for reasons that doesn’t involve sales.
Goddard’s script would give the four principle characters a segment of their own with everyone but Sullivan having their stories told in flashbacks as it relates to their motivations and why they’re at the hotel while Miles himself is someone that is troubled as his own story isn’t unveiled until its third act. Emily’s story does involve a reason why she kidnapped Rose as it relates to this charismatic cult figure in Billy Lee (Chris Hemsworth) who would become a prominent figure for the film’s third act. Especially as it play into secrets of the hotel as well as the inhabitants who all have something to hide.
Goddard’s direction does bear elements of style as it play into this air of intrigue into this hotel on the California-Nevada border as if it was a place of style and glamour but there’s something about it that is off. Shot mainly in Burnaby near Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada with additional locations shot in Vancouver, the film play into this world in the middle of this state border as the hotel itself is a character with its stylish rooms and a lobby that features a bar on the California side and a casino on the Nevada side. Goddard’s usage of the wide and medium shots does take great coverage of the interiors of the hotel lobby as well as the secret hallways that feature a two-way mirror for each apartment that inhabitants aren’t aware of. The usage of close-ups and medium shots would play into some of the conversations between characters as well as long takes for a conversation to happen as it is Goddard breaking away from some of the conventional elements of scenes where he lets the camera just linger and capture the moment.
Goddard’s direction also play up this air of intrigue but also this growing air of tension that is to emerge where the secrets of the El Royale starts to emerge with its two-way mirrors as well as what happened a decade earlier where a man (Nick Offerman) had hidden something in a room as it would relate to what Father Flynn is trying to find. Yet, he is hampered by the fact that he is already showing signs of dementia as the second act has him and Darlene learn about each other as well as the former’s involvement what happened a decade ago. The film’s third act that involves Billy Lee definitely adds to the suspense and drama where Goddard maintains this uneasy atmosphere that emerges where it has elements of dark comedy where Lee bears a lot of the characteristics of someone like Charles Manson. Goddard has the camera maintain Lee’s presence but also the inhabitants who realize that this is someone of a greater evil yet Lee believes there is no such thing as right and wrong as it just adds to the tension throughout the film. Overall, Goddard crafts an unsettling yet riveting film about a dark night in 1969 at a hotel on the California-Nevada border.
Cinematographer Seamus McGarvey does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of lights for the rainy exterior scenes at night as well as the way the hotel rooms are lit from the inside and in the secret hallway as well as the look of the lobby. Editor Lisa Lassek does excellent work with the editing with its emphasis on rhythmic cuts to help build up the suspense as well as knowing when not to cut during a monologue or a conversation. Production designer Martin Whist, with set decorator Hamish Purdy and supervising art director Michael Diner, does amazing work with the look of the hotel rooms and the hotel itself as it is a character in the film with its major differences depending on what state the characters are on. Costume designer Danny Glicker does fantastic work with the costumes as it each play into the personalities of the characters and where they come from during a turbulent time in 1969.
Special makeup effects designer Toby Lindala does terrific work with the makeup in the look of Miles upon a troubling encounter as well as the look of a few characters to play into the times. Special effects supervisor Joel Whist, along with visual effects supervisors David W. Allen and Oliver Atherton, does some nice work with the visual effects as it is mainly bits of set dressing for the 1959 flashback scene as well as a few bits inside the hotel. Sound designers Casey Genton and Julian Slater do superb work with the sound in the way rooms sound as well as scenes of Darlene singing in her room and the way music is presented in the lobby. The film’s music by Michael Giacchino is incredible for its low-key yet eerie orchestral score that help play into the suspense and drama with its string arrangements and emphasis on building up the suspense with low yet heavy strings. The film’s music soundtrack features songs sung by Cynthia Erivo as well as music from the Box Tops, Deep Purple, the Four Preps, Edwin Starr, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, the Crystals, the Four Tops, the Mamas & the Papas, and the American Bread to play into the period of the late 1960s.
The casting by Carmen Cuba is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles from Charles Halford as a convict that Father Flynn knew, Mark O’Brien as a bank robber, Shea Whigham as a prison doctor, Xavier Dolan as a record producer Darlene refuses to sleep with, and Nick Offerman as a bank robber in 1959 who hides the money. Cailee Spaeny is terrific as Rose as a young girl infatuated with Billy Lee as she seems to be entranced by his teachings much to the dismay of Emily. Lewis Pullman is superb as Miles as the hotel clerk who is harboring secrets of his own as he tries to run the hotel while wanting some guidance from Father Flynn. Jon Hamm is excellent as Laramie Seymour Sullivan as a salesman who is in town yet has other motives as it relates to things in the hotel. Dakota Johnson is fantastic as Emily Summerspring as a hippie who has taken a young girl as a hostage as it relates to a cult leader she dislikes as she presents herself as someone who doesn’t like anyone as it’s a front for why she kidnapped this young girl whom she’s concerned about.
Cynthia Erivo is brilliant as Darlene Sweet as a soul singer whose career to be a solo singer goes wrong as she is on her way to Reno for a job as she contends with the chaos at the hotel as well as trying to figure out what Father Flynn is doing. Jeff Bridges is amazing as Father Daniel Flynn as a Catholic priest who has arrived to this hotel on his way back home where he is ambiguous in his motives for being at the hotel yet he is revealed to be someone that is trying to find something but also is dealing with memory loss as well as other issues that makes him an ambiguous but a person with good intentions. Finally, there’s Chris Hemsworth in a phenomenal performance as Billy Lee as this Charles Manson-like cult leader who doesn’t appear often in the film as he would play a big role in its third act where he has this presence that is discomforting yet entrancing while is filled with so much charisma that he just completely steals the film from everyone as the sight of him dancing to Deep Purple’s cover of Hush is probably one of the sexiest moments captured on film.
Bad Times at the El Royale is a tremendous film from Drew Goddard. Featuring an incredible ensemble cast, a chilling premise set in a remote location, interesting character studies, gorgeous visuals, a mesmerizing music score by Michael Giacchino, and a killer music soundtrack. The film is definitely a neo-noir inspired suspense-drama that explore a group of people in a hotel on the California-Nevada border who endure a hellish rainy night that would bring a lot of trouble and terror with the latter in the form of a Charles Manson-like cult leader. In the end, Bad Times at the El Royale is an outstanding film from Drew Goddard.
Drew Goddard Films: The Cabin in the Woods
© thevoid99 2019
Among the crop of new filmmakers to come out in the late 2000s, there is probably no one that has created as much excitement and ferocity better than Xavier Dolan. Though he would start out as a child actor in Quebec and do dubbing for films all over the world, his impact as a filmmaker is already immense as he’s only 26 years old with five films so far and two in the works. Openly gay and not afraid to define himself as a director of style, Dolan has managed to make the kind of films most young filmmakers would dare to dream. Even if they manage to be controversial or daring in ways that would even make those quite afraid or others who are just fascinated by how dangerous he is at times. Still, Dolan is someone that has managed to bring something new to the world of cinema as he is really just getting started.
Born Montreal in the Quebec province of Canada on March 20, 1989, Xavier Dolan was the son of the Egyptian-born Canadian comedian/singer Manuel Tardos and the schoolteacher Genevieve Dolan. Dolan would be part of the film and television industry in Canada early as a child where he became a child actor for many productions set in Quebec while getting work as a dubbing voice actor for many English-language based productions including the Harry Potter film series where he would dub the voice of the character of Ron Weasley as well as the Twilight film series as Jacob Black. While Dolan would get some financial stability and work as an actor, Dolan had the desire to wanting to make films as a director. After years of doing voice work and appearing in films and television, Dolan would get the chance to make his very first film.
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© thevoid99 2015
Based on the play by Michel Marc Bouchard, Tom a la ferme (Tom at the Farm) is the story of a young man who travels to the countryside to attend the funeral of his boyfriend unaware that his boyfriend’s mother knows he is gay as he is intimidated by her eldest son. Directed, edited, costume designed, and starring Xavier Dolan and screenplay by Dolan and Bouchard, the film is a suspense-drama where a young man‘s visit to the country becomes a trip in Hell as he finds himself trapped and forced to lie to his boyfriend‘s mother about her son. Also starring Pierre-Yves Cardinal, Lise Roy, and Evelyne Brochu. Tom a la ferme is a chilling yet evocative film from Xavier Dolan.
Set in the countryside in the middle of Quebec, the film revolves a young man whose trip to the countryside to attend his late boyfriend’s funeral becomes a dark trip upon meeting his late boyfriend’s mother and her extremely-controlling son as the latter knows that his brother is gay. Though the character of Tom (Xavier Dolan) only wanted to attend the funeral and meet with his boyfriend’s mother, he is unaware of what kind of family his boyfriend has where things seem to be fine upon meeting the mother Agathe (Lise Roy). It is until Tom meets the older brother Francis (Pierre-Yves Cardinal) where things go wrong as Tom finds himself trapped while being forced to lie to Agathe about her son’s life including a relationship with a woman named Sarah. The film’s screenplay doesn’t just explore Francis’ attempt to make Tom lie to Agathe in order preserve Agathe’s memory of her son. It’s also plays into a young man being put into a situation against his will where he is a prisoner in the middle of a farm while he gets to know the family of his late lover.
The script doesn’t play into a traditional structure as it favors more of character study and suspense rather than plot. Mostly to play into Tom trying to deal with his situation as he become accustomed to the world of farming and having to drink and do cocaine with Francis in an attempt to appease him. Still, there’s moments as it plays into Agathe’s grief as she ponders why her son’s girlfriend hasn’t shown up as she eventually would in a friend of Tom which only adds to the dramatic tension. Even as Francis knows what is going on as he is trying to keep things in control and use Tom to do farm work as he would later hope to sell it. All of which plays into Tom trying to ponder if he really ever knew his lover or was it something his late boyfriend tried to shield Tom from.
Xavier Dolan’s direction is very intoxicating to watch not just for his approach to framing and putting himself and other actors into a frame. It’s also in the world that he puts himself in where it is shot entirely on location in a farming community in Quebec. Dolan wouldn’t just use hand-held cameras but also would create something intimate in scenes inside the home as well as some of the places in the farm. Most notably with some unique camera angles into where he would place the camera for a wide shot or a close-up. There’s also moments in the film where Dolan would play with the film’s aspect ratio from a fuller-widescreen format and then into something that is much smaller for some its dramatic moments such as Tom trying to flee the farm as he runs into the cornfields while being chased by Francis.
Since much of the film is shot on this desolate and rainy farmland, Dolan’s approach to the visuals would be to give the film a grimy look where his choice of costumes are less about style and more about something that is casual that includes a colorful jacket that Francis wears. Dolan’s approach to the editing definitely plays into the dramatic tone of the film where he uses jump-cuts and other rhythmic cuts while knowing when to build suspense in certain scenes. Most particularly the chase in the corn fields where Dolan’s editing and use of steadicam shots play into the sense of tension. Even in the film’s third act where Tom wouldn’t just learn more about Francis but also how dangerously close he’s becoming towards Francis and Agathe. Overall, Dolan creates a ravishing yet unsettling film about a man’s visit to the countryside.
Cinematographer Andre Turpin does amazing work with the film‘s cinematography from its low-key exterior look to capture the rain and some of the scenes at night with the lights to some gorgeous interior lighting for a scene where Tom and Francis dance. Art director Colombe Raby and set decorator Pascale Deschenes do fantastic work with the look of the farm as well as the home where Agathe and Francis live in as it plays to the sense of a world that is ordinary. The sound work of Sylvain Brassard and Francois Grenon do brilliant work with the sound to play into the atmosphere of the farm and its layer of sounds to show how sparse some of the scenes are in order to create an element of suspense. The film’s music by Gabriel Yared is incredible for its chilling orchestral score to play into the suspense as it also features quieter themes for its dramatic moments while music supervisor Jean-Pierre Arquie brings in a low-key yet wonderful soundtrack that features music from Corey Hart, Rufus Wainwright, Gotan Project, Kathleen Fortin, Marjo, and a classical piece by Arnold Schonberg.
The film’s superb cast includes a few notable small roles from Jacques Lavallee as the priest in the funeral service and Manuel Tardos as a bartender whom Tom would converse with about Francis. Evelyne Brochu is fantastic as a woman named Sarah who claims to be the girlfriend of the deceased as she appears late in the film as her appearance is an ambiguous one. Lise Roy is radiant as Agathe as the mother of the boyfriend who doesn’t know her son is gay as she tries to hold on to good memories about him while keeping Francis in check. Pierre-Yves Cardinal is brilliant as Francis as this aggressive and controlling farmer who is the older brother of the deceased who is trying to make sure Tom lies in order to protect some secrets about his own family. Finally, there’s Xavier Dolan in an amazing performance as Tom as this young man from the city who goes to the country unaware of what he has gotten into as it’s a very eerie and mesmerizing performance from Dolan that is quite restrained but also very lively in the fear that he displays into his character.
Tom a la ferme is a riveting yet very dark film from Xavier Dolan. Armed with a great cast, an eerie script, exotic visuals, and a phenomenal score by Gabriel Yared. The film is an intriguing suspense-drama that is different from Dolan’s other films but certainly one of his richest films as well as his most dangerous film to date. In the end, Tom a la ferme is a phenomenal film from Xavier Dolan.
Xavier Dolan Films: I Killed My Mother - Heartbeats - Laurence Anyways - 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
(Co-Winner of the Jury Prize w/ Goodbye to Language at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival)
Written, edited, costume designed, and directed by Xavier Dolan, Mommy is the story of a widow who is trying to raise her teenage son as she seeks the help from her neighbor where things improve but only for a brief moment. The film is an examination into a relationship between a mother and her teenage son who is very outgoing and rebellious. Starring Anne Dorval, Antoine-Olivier Pilon, and Suzanne Clement. Mommy is an astonishing yet intense film from Xavier Dolan.
The film revolves around a widowed mother who is trying her best to raise her ADHD son who is known for being violent and very troubled as they move in to a new place where they get the help of a neighbor who would bring the best in both of them. It’s a film that isn’t just an exploration into a troubled relationship between a mother and her teenage son but also a film that plays into a mother trying to get her own life but also wonder if there’s hope for her son. The film also plays into their situation as it relates to a fictionalized law that would play into what Diane “Die” Despres (Anne Dorval) would have to do for her son Steve (Antoine Oliver-Pilon).
Xavier Dolan’s screenplay doesn’t exactly follow a traditional structure as it is very loose with its narrative as it is more of a character study between Die and Steve’s relationship. Die is a woman that is still trying to hold on to her youth through the clothes she wears as the film begins with her in an accident where she loses her car and is in even worse debt. Adding to the chaos is Steve who has been kicked out of an institution over an incident that he caused that would later haunt both of them as mother and son are forced to start over. In this quiet suburb where the uncontrollable Steve and the overwhelmed Die live, they meet a new neighbor in Kyla (Suzanne Clement) who is a schoolteacher on break as she also has a terrible stutter. Kyla’s presence not only makes things easier but also add a new dynamic to the family as she would be Steve’s teacher and be able to control him while Die would work.
The relationship of the two women and a teenage boy would be an intriguing one as Kyla is someone that is in need to feel alive again even though she has a family. Yet, she remains haunted by something in her family life that doesn’t allow her to connect with her family as the presence of Die and Steve would help her. Die would feel easy with Kyla around to watch over Steve as it would give her the chance to find some work as well as live her own life. Yet, one notable flaw about Die is that she can be irresponsible and selfish as she is also trying to be young. For Steve, he is someone that is very troubled as it is clear that not having a father has affected him to the point where he’s acting out. Yet, he’s not really a bad kid but someone that is in need of attention as there’s a key scene in its third act where Steve is pushed to the edge as he is just trying to do something fun without harming anyone. Yet, it’s a moment that would force Die to ponder not just her own future but also Steve’s future if is ever going to have one.
Dolan’s direction is very unique not just for the intimacy that he creates but also in the aspect ratio in which he would create for this film. Shot in a 1:1 aspect ratio which is similar to what is often presented in cell phone video cameras through social media. It’s a format that is very entrancing on a visual scale where it does a lot to bring a lot of coverage to some of the film’s close-ups and medium shots. It’s also used a visual tool to display some of the emotional moments as it relates to Die and Steve’s relationship. Even as it has something that feels very claustrophobic in its framing where it plays into something that is unsettling and also scary due to some of Steve’s violent outbursts. Most notably a scene where he buys his mother groceries and a gift as Die is convinced that he stole those things as the two have a fight.
There’s a couple moments in the film where the film is presented in a traditional widescreen format as it plays into not just the happy moments involving Die, Steve, and Kyla but also in a sequence as it plays into what Die hopes for Steve to have in the future. The frame would open and close in these moments as it would intensify by the film’s third act as it relates to not just an incident that Steve caused early in the film but also the pressure for Die to make sure that her son doesn’t get into serious trouble. Also serving as the film’s editor and costume designer, Dolan maintains that sense of energy as it relates to Steve where he does use some fast-cuts but also knows when to slow things down as he does put in a lot style into the editing. As for the costumes, it also adds to the film’s visual tone as it shows who these people are where both Die and Steve are eager to look and feel young while Kyla is more conservative to play into her shy personality.
Still, Dolan maintains something is lively but also wondrous as it plays into this turbulent and complicated relationship between a mother and son as well as this outsider who tries to bring the best in both of them. Even as someone like Die is trying to balance what she wants in her own life and the hope that she has for her son while knowing that if things don’t go her own way. There is this law Overall, Dolan crafts a very chilling yet exhilarating film about a mother trying to help and ground her already troubled son.
Cinematographer Andre Turpin does amazing work with the film‘s cinematography to play up the film‘s very colorful and entrancing look from its locations in Quebec to the usage of lights for some of the film‘s interior settings. Art director Colombe Ray and set decorator Jean-Charles Claveau do fantastic work with the look of Die and Steve‘s home which is a bit of mess as it plays into their turbulent relationship. Makeup designer Maina Militza does nice work with the look of Die’s hair and some of the makeup she wears to look young. Sound designer Sylvain Brassard does brilliant work with the sound to capture some of the chaotic moments that occur in the drama along with some of the livelier moments in the film. The film’s music by Noia is excellent for its somber yet enchanting ambient score that plays into the drama while the soundtrack features a diverse array of music from Sarah McLachlan, Celine Dion, Dido, Counting Crows, Beck, Lana Del Rey, Andrea Bocelli, Simple Plan, Oasis, and many others as it’s one of the film’s highlights.
The film’s cast includes some notable small roles from Michele Lituac as the institution chief who would release Steve to his mother, Isabelle Nelisse as Kyla’s daughter, Patrick Huard as an attorney Die would go out with in the film’s third act, and Alexandre Goyette as Kyla’s husband Patrick who would watch some of Kyla’s time with Die and Steve from afar. Suzanne Clement is incredible as Kyla as this woman with a stutter who befriends Die and Steve as she would bring a great sense of balance into their lives as well as being able to defuse some of the tension as it’s a very understated yet intoxicating performance.
Antoine-Olivier Pilon is remarkable as Steve as a young, hyperactive teenager who is trying to please his mother while being very violent and troubled as it’s a performance that is quite complex as he brings a lot of layers to his character. Finally, there’s Anne Dorval in a phenomenal performance as Die as this woman that is trying to retain her youth as well as be a responsible mother where Dorval brings a sense of charm and energy to her performance as she also be just as intense as Pilon as it is really one hell of a performance.
Mommy is a magnificent film from Xavier Dolan that features top-notch performances from Anne Dorval, Antoine-Olivier Pilon, and Suzanne Clement. The film isn’t just one of Dolan’s more accessible features but also an engaging story about a tumultuous yet wild relationship between a mother and her son. Even as it manages to be told with such style as well as not being afraid of making the audience feel very uncomfortable. In the end, Mommy is an outstanding film from Xavier Dolan.
Xavier Dolan Films: I Killed My Mother - Heartbeats - Laurence Anyways - Tom at the Farm - (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, and edited by Xavier Dolan, Laurence Anyways is the story about a relationship between a woman and a transgender woman that spans a decade through many trials and tribulations. The film is a love story that is unlike anything as it explores two women in which one of them is born a man as it strays from the conventions of many romantic films. Starring Melvil Poupaud, Suzanne Clement, Monia Chokri, Yves Jacques, David Savard, and Nathalie Baye. Laurence Anyways is a tremendous and exhilarating film from Xavier Dolan.
Set in the span of a decade till the end of the millennium, the film plays into a tumultuous relationship between a woman and a man who wants to become a woman. It’s a film that plays into this relationship where this man named Laurence (Melvil Poupaud) questions his own identity four years into a relationship with this woman named Fred (Suzanne Clement) as this decision would send everything into a freefall as Fred wonders how she can help him. There in this on-and-off period that spans of a decade, Laurence and Fred not only deal with each other but also themselves where Laurence wonders if he can become a woman while Fred ponders if she can accept Laurence as a woman. What Xavier Dolan does with this story is showcase this man’s desire to become a woman as he wonders if he will be happier as a woman and could do that with Fred.
Dolan’s screenplay is quite complex and grand since it’s a story that does span a decade though it has a very odd structure. Much of the film’s first half takes place from the fall of 1989 to the end of 1990 where Laurence not only deals with his own identity issues but also into how Fred would react and the response from their own families. Whereas Fred tries to help Laurence with becoming and acting like a woman by wearing a dress, earrings, and putting on makeup. Still, it’s an act that would have Laurence lose his job as a literature teacher as several things would lead to issues with Fred. Its second half would be set in 1995 and beyond where both Laurence and Fred lead different lives but still pine for each as Laurence would write a book of poems dedicated to her as they would get a glimpse of the life they would have if they ever get together for good.
Dolan’s direction is truly intoxicating not just in his approach to framing but in exactly how he manages to capture every attention to detail in his direction. While it is a film that largely emphasizes on style, Dolan’s approach to compositions and how he frames his actors into a scene are just hypnotic as well as his camera movements and how he places the camera for a scene. Dolan goes for moments that play into elements of dramatic tension or something has elements of fantasy in a world that is often quite troubling. Dolan’s approach to close-ups and medium shots are engaging along with some unique camera angles that play into some of the humor but mostly for dramatic effect to showcase the anguish between Fred and Laurence.
Also serving as the film’s editor, Dolan definitely maintains a sense of style in his approach as editor where he uses a lot of jump-cuts, slow-motion cuts, and other aspects of cutting styles to play into some of the dramatic tension as well as this entrancing opening sequence where people stare at this mysterious person. It’s among these moments where Dolan’s approach to editing and in his direction definitely showcase what he is going to do while his approach to the story is a slow burn to play into Fred and Laurence’s relationship with its many ups and downs. Much of is quite expansive in its storytelling as it plays into the decade in the life of a couple where Dolan knows that there’s a lot to be told as it’s a long film at 168 minutes yet he makes every moment and every frame worth telling. Overall, Dolan crafts a compelling yet visceral film about a relationship between a woman and a man who wants to become a woman.
Cinematographer Yves Belanger does brilliant work with the film‘s very colorful and stylish photography with its use of color filters for interior scenes at night along with some unique lighting and vibrant colors for the scenes set in the snow. Production designer Anne Pritchard, along with art director Colombe Raby and set decorators Louis Dandonneau and Pascale Deschenes, does amazing work with the set design from the apartment Fred and Laurence lived in during the film‘s first half as well as the home of their parents to the posh home that Fred lived in during the film‘s second half as well as the party sequence that Fred goes to. Costume designers Xavier Dolan and Francois Barbeau do fantastic work with the clothes that Fred and Laurence wear as it’s full of style in its look and personality as it adds to the film’s evocative look.
Hair designers Michelle Cote and Martin Lapointe, with makeup designers Kathy Kelso and Colleen Quinton, do awesome work with the look of the characters as well as Laurence‘s look as a woman and the hairstyle of Fred throughout the years. Visual effects supervisor Jean-Francois Ferland does nice work with some of the minimal visual effects in the film that play into the sense of fantasy surrounding the characters. Sound editor Sylvain Brassard does superb work with the sound from some of the sparse textures of the sound in the locations to some of the crazy elements in the film. The film’s music by Noia is phenomenal as its electronic-ambient score is entrancing that plays into some of the melancholic elements of the film while its soundtrack features an array of music from classical pieces by Sergei Prokofiev, Antonio Vivaldi, Johannes Brahms, and Gustav Mahler to contemporary music from acts like Fever Ray, the Cure, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Visage, Kim Carnes, Celine Dion, and Craig Armstrong.
The casting by Helene Rousse is incredible as it features notable small roles from Yves Jacques as Laurence’s fellow teacher/mentor Lafortune, Monique Spaziani as another teacher in Francine, Mylene Jampanoi and Jacob Tierney as a couple Fred and Laurence meet late in the film, Vincent Plouffe as Fred’s son Leo, Sophie Faucher as Fred’s mother, Vincent Davy as Laurence’s father, and Susie Almgren as a journalist interviewing Laurence late in the film. In the roles of this family of drag queens that Laurence meets, there’s Catherine Begin, Emmanuel Schwartz, Jacques Lavallee, Perette Souplex, and Patricia Tulasne in very lively and funny roles as this family that would help guide Laurence into finding herself. Magalie Lepine Blondeau is terrific as Laurence’s mid-90s girlfriend Charlotte who knows about his feelings for Fred as she would stalk her from afar while David Savard is superb as Fred’s husband in the mid-90s that she would meet at a party as he tries to deal with her mood swings.
Monia Chokri is fantastic as Fred’s very cynical and biting sister Stefie who isn’t very fond of Laurence as well as she tries to see that Fred is thinking about as it’s a role filled with lots of humor. Nathalie Baye is brilliant as Laurence’s mother Julienne as a woman who doesn’t seem close to Laurence as she was in his childhood as she suddenly becomes closer to him once he decides to become a woman. Suzanne Clement is outstanding as Fred as this filmmaker that is trying to cope with her career but also the change in the man she loves as she tries to support him as she conveys the sense of anguish and rage that a woman goes through in her devotion to the one she loves. Finally, there’s Melvil Poupaud in a tremendous performance as Laurence as this man who becomes confused about his own identity as he becomes a woman as it’s a very engaging and transformative performance where Poupaud brings in that sense of anguish but also desire to find himself as a woman.
Laurence Anyways is a magnificent film from Xavier Dolan that features remarkable performances from Melvil Poupaud and Suzanne Clement. It’s a film that isn’t afraid to use style to tell a story about transgender relationships and other off-the-wall things while creating something is also very accessible and bold. Especially in ways that are visually entrancing with a soundtrack that is just absolutely to the point that plays into the emotional aspects of the film. In the end, Laurence Anyways is a sensational film from Xavier Dolan.
Xavier Dolan Films: I Killed My Mother - Heartbeats - 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, 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
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