Clara y Claire

While this wasn't a bad film I can't help but shake off the feeling that if the genders of the characters were switched around the film wouldn't be described as a romantic drama but rather a creepy psychological thriller.

Every now and again you come across a film that you know very little about but fine the premise intriguing and it more than lives up to that intrigue. Juliette Binoche - who is in pretty much every scene - is a mesmerising presence as Claire - a lonely university professor who is struggling with inner demons. To say anything else would spoil. Suffice to say, this is a film which, whilst easy to follow and you never know what's going to happen next, would no doubt benefit from a second viewing. I will definitely be watching again. Currently streaming on Netflix - this is a sexy, twisty drama/thriller that at least for me was a hidden gem. 8.5 out of ten

This film pushes at the limits of what film can do in the sense that most interesting things in it are not what are shown but what the writer can express about the inner life of the character and other non-narrative aspects.

Cinema must show through the lens; it is a complete image. Text is borderless, frameless, it can be objective, or as abstract as is necessary. This is why every film version of "Madame Bovary" is a disappointment because Flaubert never tells the reader what Emma looks like but every actress is an incarnation of Emma.

In terms of this film, when the story progresses in its first half, it work rather well; perhaps a bit slow for some minds, but the characterization and the dilemma are intriguing and contemporary. The camera is fluid and Binoche appeals in her restrained and deceptive role.

The reflection on technology, social media, and how it has changed the way humans see themselves and their relationships is typical, and while the psychological exploration of its effect is engaging, it may border on the slightly too subtle.

Where the film loses some momentum is in the second half which ties the elements together. As a novel the story and the inner narrative would be better presented. That is not a fault of the screenplay, rather it is the possibilities of the medium.

The performances make this worth watching and the depiction of contemporary relationships is another part of the discussion on how society is changing.

Juliette binoche makes even a role like this brighter than it could have been. The mood and tone of the film take you into your own loneliness and make you wonder what all one could or be compelled to do, because one is lonely. There's a line in it 'i dont mind dying. I just don't want to be abandoned.'. Lovely line. Watch it for binoche.

A modern day tale that is very typical of French cinema. Juliette Binoche is a very engaging actress both in her talents and natural beauty. The narrative has enough plot twists and intrigue to keep one interested, but not in a "Hollywood" manner that some may expect.

I simply find any review that describes a film simply as "boring" is just a cop-out and it was not the genre or film for them.