Nathalie X

Would a woman, finding out that her husband has been having casual affairs (which he admits to, but says `they are nothing') hire a prostitute to seduce him and report back to her? I don't know, but maybe it's possible in France, a country which prides itself on the tidy management of sex in general. It does seem a rather bizarre way of putting some zing back into a flagging marriage. Fanny Ardant as the voyeuristic wife Catherine dominates the movie though she spends a lot of time staring off into the middle distance. Gérard Depardieu as Bernard the husband is reduced to a bit player. The most intriguing character is `Nathalie' the prostitute played with innocent charm by Emmanuelle Béart, who, though 38, manages to look 15 years younger. She might have a waif-like manner but she certainly has learned what men are like and what they want, and her accounts of her sessions with the husband seem all too authentic.

Unfortunately I worked out fairly early in the piece what was really going on. I won't spoil it for you dear reader, but it is all a bit anti-climactic. The film does have a genuine Parisian feel to it – crowded apartments (even that of the affluent married couple), bars, streets, restaurants, etc. All that elegant consumption and all that personal lack of fulfillment. It's almost a relief to discover that one of the patients at Catherine's gynaecology practice, though in her early 20s, is still a virgin.

In its favour, the movie does not drag on too long, and has in `Natalie' a genuinely intriguing character. She is not the usual desperate junkie - she is not without resources, and when not being a prostitute works as a hairdresser and beautician. Is she able to have a `normal' relationship with anyone? At one stage the temperature between her and Catherine gets quite warm. Or is she emotionally burnt out by the rigours of the game? Anne Fontaine as director doesn't seem to want to explore her most interesting character so we are left to guess.

Although you should never really judge a film by its poster/DVD cover, it's hard not to when the poster in question has Emmanuelle Beart looking very saucy and beautiful indeed. The film centres around a failing marriage, mainly from the wife's perspective as she hires a prostitute for her husband and get the low down on his filthy little sexual fantasies. Despite this sordid little set up the film is charmingly refrains itself from gratuitous erotic scenes by only having descriptions of the acts that go on. This results in a very 'talky' film, but still a very steamy and effective one. Ardant leads the film, and manages to give an effective performance as a rejected wife in a passionless marriage, although at some points during the film the audience is left to contemplate her motives, and what exactly she is hoping to achieve from this experiment. Beart, is the real star, not only because she is stunning and makes it impossible to look away from the film, but she also offers a complex character, who is creating a complex character for herself within the film. At times she seems strong and in charge, and sometimes she comes across as weak and insecure. The slow and subtle way the bizarre friendship between the two leads evolves is well handled by director Anne Fontaine. The slow pace of the film is also a delight as it perfectly presents the flow of the marriage itself. Gerard Depardieu isn't used enough, we never get to know the character, and characters opinions contradict what we see of him. However since the film is told from the wife's perspective, this is understandable. Paris is represented with the usual busy streets and coffee shops with small apartments, but this is certainly not a film about locale. Overall the film is a joy to look at, and very well made. An underrated gem to sit down with on a quiet afternoon.

I think "Nathalie..." is a very interesting film. Once again French moviemakers confirm they're among the best European and (to me) World directors. Because they're also able to show a simple story, a simple tale where there's room for feelings and sensations.

A woman discovers she's betrayed by her husband. She hires a prostitute to follow constantly and to seduce him. The wife wants always to be told what has happened (she also wants to know exactly the way the girl has had sex with the man). But between the two women a friendship grows and also in the marriage something changes... Thanks to the young girl the married couple will find again the dialogue. Without being melodramatic, the film has an original approach for telling a story about couple problems and human relationships. "Nathalie..." contains studies about that.

A movie directed by Anne Fontaine and led by a wonderful cast: Depardieu, Ardant and Béart (these are two of the most gorgeous women of French cinema...).

In Paris, the executive Bernard (Gérard Depardieu) and his wife, the gynecologist Catherine (Fanny Ardant), form a bored upper class middle aged bourgeois couple. They have been married for many years and their life does not have sexual desire anymore. One day, Catherine listens to the message box of his cell phone and she believes Bernard is unfaithful to her. Catherine hires the beautiful prostitute Marlene (Emmanuelle Béart) to pretend to be a young woman called Nathalie, seduce and investigate the sex life of Bernard and report to her his secrets and performance between walls. Catherine discloses a surprising revelation in the end.

I saw the used DVD of "Nathalie…" on sale in a rental, and based on the names of Emmanuelle Béart, Gérard Depardieu and Fanny Ardant, I decided to risky and buy and watch this movie without any previous reference. I found a great movie, with a very credible story, but for mature audiences only. I believe that only the public of a certain age, who have experienced marriage, will fully understand the characters of Bernard and Catherine, their motives and how true the story is. I was also impressed with the elegance of the great French actress Fanny Ardant and with the eternal beauty of the sexy and also great actress Emmanuelle Béart. The direction of Anne Fontaine is very sensitive, delicate and classy, keeping the story in a very high level, without using any type of subterfuge, such as spicy scene or sexual exposition of the cast. The soundtrack is also excellent. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Nathalie X"

Note: On 03 July 2011, I saw this film again to compare with the weak remake "Chloe".

I can't understand why this film got such bad reviews and why so many people seem to have a profound dislike for it. Are people really that impatient, have they been blighted by Hollywood movies to the point that they cannot appreciate something a bit more delicate? I found Nathalie tantalising, unpredictable, romantic. I identified & empathised with all the characters, and was interested throughout. Yes, it had quite a slow pace, and there was a lot of talking, but it had an interesting ending which surprised me, and it had a lot of style. It left a few things unsaid, which i like as it gives you a chance to explore the meanings of what you are seeing, almost like a self-psychoanalysis.

Ardant, Beart, & Depardieu all gave great performances. I also particularly liked the soundtrack (I normally hate movie music), and I'm not talking about Nyman's stuff, which somehow passed me by, but the gently throbbing house y, beat y, electro we would here in the club, and in the car (if my memory serves me correctly). This was the best selection of high class porno music I have ever heard, & I'm currently seeking the soundtrack as inspiration for some scenes I'm writing now.

Big-up Anne Fontaine for delivering a delicate, classy film, and big-up the writing team Philippe Blasband, Jacques Fieschi, François-Olivier Rousseau, & Fontaine for writing something intricate and involving :)

My own films are online at www.undeadarmy.org