Curiosa

Just a quick review. I saw this based on the poster art (an attractive woman in French knickers). I have to say after Larry Clark's The Smell Of Us it ranks as the most boring film I've seen this year. The production, sets and costumes are all first rate, but how do you make taboo subjects boring? Watch this film and find out.

It is set in France during the time women had little choice in their lives. Often sheltered, knowing little about their bodies, and marriages were more for convenience and security than for love. Pierre takes pictures. First, with a camera that uses glass plates, and then being more happy to get a Kodak box camera. He has an Algerian woman, Zohra that he is partial towards, and she performs erotic dances before small groups of friends, as well as posing for him. Marie, who is in a rather loveless marriage, starts an affair with him. And her husband, Henri seems to accept that. And at first Marie accepts that Pierre sleeps around, but soon decides that she really loves him, and tells him she doesn't love Henri. This is not what Pierre has in mind, however. So as expected, things start to quickly get complicated. The cinematography is excellent, and crisp for those who may watch the movie for only one thing, and they will not be disappointed. But it can get boring. Part of that is the movie is paced to how things would unfold back then, not as would be current.

It's just... dull. The actors are doing their best, but the slow paced, no-surprise directing and story just don't do it any good. I personally didn't feel any connection to any of the characters, it seemed like a cold movie with no soul.

Many people here like the music score. I don't. I don't see why you would use contemporary music in a period drama movie. They could've used some classical improvisation.

The french of the fin-de-siecle... cliche or not, they were amazing. But this film doesn't seem to catch the magic of them and those times.

It's repetitive, slow paced at times, empty from emotional point of view. Just doesn't deliver.

The basic plot could have been interesting: a woman is more or less forced to marry the best friend of her lover, who in turn marries her sister. Can love survive and find a way in this unconventional mess?

In the end I didn't really care, mostly because everything feels and looks like a very elegant and pretentious soap opera.

Now this is based on actual photography and pictures that were taken as the movie tells us at the end. But it also is a story about forbidden things. Forbidden love, forbidden pleasures, forbidden photos and positions. Who is being hurt in all this? Who needs saving though? This is something that the movie is not really making much of a point.

For better or worse, there is quite the focus on the nudity (no pun intended) and the passion our main character seeks to get pleasure. You can interpret things and read some stuff I reckon, on the other hand maybe the one scene where a not erect penis is shown might be all the answer you (and she) need. Just saying