Eine reine Formalität

This is an extraordinarily bizarre film written and directed by the immensely talented Giuseppe Tornatore, who is so well known for CINEMA PARADISO (1988), EVERYBODY'S FINE (1990, see my review), THE LEGEND OF 1900 (1998), THE UNKNOWN WOMAN (2006), and other films. He does not always get it quite right, as for instance with THE STAR MAKER (1995), which I thought misfired somewhat. In this weird, intense and claustrophobic film, Tornatore attempts to keep us on the edge of our seats for the entire time with suspense and tension, but it is only partially successful. The film stars Gerard Depardieu and Roman Polanski, who confront one another continually throughout the film in an interrogation situation, where Polanski is the 'Commissaire' (police chief) of an obscure place where it is always raining and the ceiling leaks, and Depardieu is the murder suspect. The film is shot in French, despite having an Italian title. DVDs with English subtitles are now very rare, and have become something of a collector's item, for those who want to collect it, that is! I sat through the whole thing and kept wishing Tornatore had pulled it off entirely, but both actors were incapable of the extreme, unrelenting intensity and the vast range of changing emotions required. There are moments when Depardieu is absolutely brilliant, especially when he becomes wistful. But the cascades of alternating confrontation and sympathy between the two men required greater masters of the acting art, and perhaps a more subtle script. Also, the film is deeply depressing and a real 'downer'. All that gloom and dripping water really gets you down after a while. Of course, the story has a profound explanation, the mystery is indeed deeply intriguing and surprising, and it all turns out to make perfect sense, and has a message as well. But to explain that would require discussing the ending, which is against IMDb rules. Anyone interested in Tornatore and his career needs to see this, as it is a one-off. The film is not recommended for light entertainment purposes. In other words, this is a film for cineastes, not for ordinary viewers. Of course, if you have a deep interest in Depardieu and Polanski as actors, you will need to see it, as they never did anything like this before, or since.

One word that can sum up this movie is Fantastic!!! The thing about this movie is I wasn't lucky like a few other people over here to watch this movie without expecting anything. I almost knew everything I needed to know about this movie even before I bought the DVD. The movie was a pure cinema in every sense of the word. I expect the movie to contain a decent story, good actors, a little bit of suspense, a little comedy (not mandatory) and a classic ending. This one provided me with all of these things and more. The movie is really a manifestation of some one's mind. The acting is uniformly brilliant. I know Polanski is a decent actor and I loved him in The Tenant, but here he is just pure Master Class.Gérard Depardieu is a legend in France and in International Cinema and he shows in this movie why is that. In a short summary the movie involves a person being questioned for staying out in the woods without any identification. When it turns out to be the Great Writer Onoff who doesn't quite remember how he came to that place. How the Inspector Da Vinci(Polanski) gets out the answer forms the rest of the story. Enjoy the movie except for one scene of crude nudity from Gérard Depardieu. That was scary!!!! I rate this movie 10/10 (inspite of Gérard Depardieu's scary back!!!)

I watched this film captured by the presence of Roman Polanski in the credits. The result was very intriguing. Through the reminiscences of famous writer Onoff (Depardieu) and the shrewd interventions of the Inspector (Polanski) the crime is effectively solved. The dialogue is exceptional, and both men's performances are quite good. Basically this is a very interesting and intriguing film, and fortunately not pretentious. Highly recommendable.

Marvellous work. Demanding of actors, director and audience. The dialogue fills the screenspace, the performances of the two main characters are masterpieces of consistency. I enjoyed it from start to finish and I hope you do as well.

The director keeps ratcheting up the tension and letting it fall back using very few devices. It has the feel of a stage play, and would perhaps transfer very well to the theatre.

Although some accuse the director of over-complicating things, I find the whole to be satisfying and simple. The lack of clarity of the storyline reflects the confusion in Depardieu's head.

If you want non-intellectual action, this film is not for you.

Those who have seen Roman Polanski in his film "The Tenant" will not be surprised by his pitch-perfect acting in "A Pure Formality". Nor will they not exult in his masterful attention to detail that he is famous for (as when he moves a pan of water on the floor with the toe of his shoe as he stares eternally at the source of a ceiling drip).

There are a host of meditations in this film, and have no doubt that this film is pure artistic meditation. The one that concerns me most is the meditation on what constitutes identity, and I would guess that Tornatore might respond that it can be found in one's cosmic gift and calling, whatever that may be. The universal existential problem arises when we mistakenly believe that gift and calling and our very lives have everything to do with ego and all its vain pursuits.