sleestaker

There's a line in Be Cool that sums up the whole film for me. Stephen Tyler shows up and, upon seeing Uma Thurman, says, "Look at how those legs come together and make an ass out of themselves!" It's a cringe worthy, groan inducing, forced line that tries to be hip and cool and clever. But it isn't, and neither is this movie. There are a number of little "aren't they clever?" lines and scenes and they all, without exception, flop.

When Travolta and Thurman get up and dance it's supposed to evoke the twist contest from Pulp Fiction, but it's nowhere near as stylish and evocative. Worse, it doesn't really add to the overall plot (of which there is very little). The Pulp Fiction scene was a crucial part of the story, full of tension and desire, but here it seems it's only done so the viewer will say, "Hey! That's just like the Pulp Fiction scene! Aren't they clever?"

I hate characters like Vince Vaughn's jive talking fool, and the other gangsters are just stupid. Worst of all is Travolta as he sleepwalks through this role, looking older than his character should be. He and Thurman display almost none of the chemistry they had in Pulp Fiction. When the two of them come together, they make an ass out of themselves.

Hey! Did you catch that last line? Isn't it cool and hip and clever? No, it's not, and neither is this film. Watch Get Shorty again if you want to see Travolta in an entertaining movie. Not this. It's definitely not cool.

For many, the lack of a defined storyline is maddening, often resulting in a less than satisfying experience. Almost stream-of-consciousness in its approach, Maurice Pialat's À Nos Amours does not appear to have much story structure, but the story is most definitely there and is related with a subtlety not often found in modern film.

Bonnaire's portrayal of Susanne is brilliant (as others have said), and her almost wistful sadness permeates the performance. In one scene, her father (played by Pialat) says, "You never smile anymore," indicating the transformation of Susanne from innocence to experience. The men in her life are shown only for the time she is with them. There is neither introduction upon their arrival nor explanation as to their departure. Pialat uses this method to show Susanne's lack of emotional investment in these temporary romances.

The only men who do return are her father, her brother, and Luc, her one real love. It is when she is with these men that she shows her true self, rather than the detached uncaring girl who sleeps around in an effort to replace them. The dialogue drives this film. There is little music, save the inspired use of Klaus Nomi's "The Cold Song". The sad wailing of Nomi's pseudo-operatic vocal against the opening credits of Susanne in the pulpit of a boat is a wonderful moment.

Long out of print, this film is now available on DVD. It is deserving of a look by the discerning cinephile who may have missed it 25 years ago.