Adolphe

' Adolphe ' is one of the greatest works in world literature. Like it or dislike it this film is utterly faithful to the book, and difficult though the book must have been for many to film Benoit Jacquot achieves the challenge 100%. Both Isabelle Adjani and Stanislas Merhar are perfect in their roles of Adolphe and Ellenore , both having that interior quality that is needed. To tell the story of the book is open to misinterpretation, and I suggest those who have tried here cannot succeed. It is about love, but not in a way that is either romantic or easy to describe. It dissects love and what meanings we impose upon that humble four lettered word. For both of these ' lovers ' it is ecstasy and torment. Society reinforces definite meanings on the word when arguably there are far too many to fulfill society's definitions. Constant is as great as Proust in pursuing these themes ( Constant in a short book, Proust in one of the longest in literature ). We ' love ' when we pursue, and cease to ' love ' when it is reciprocated; equally we hate to be too close to another and yet feel deserted when we are alone. Both actors hold, release and hold again until death draws the final card and a possible lifelong journey of solitary anguish begins. It is all there in this superbly made film. Each image is sublime in its beauty, and passion between Adjani and Merhar are both burning hot, then as cold as the end of the film, snow covered and terminal in its despair. Ellenore's last letter ends it all, completely faithful to the book. Two scenes encapsulate the film. The first is when Adolphe and Ellenore consummate their desire for each other. Nothing is crude, and the passion between them is the determined way Adolphe's tongue opens and penetrates Ellenore's mouth. It is erotic and nothing more is needed. The second is on a balcony when Adolphe shouts at Ellenore and abuses her verbally, and the acting is especially fine here. Nothing more is needed to show the vast distance between them, and again the same tongue is put to a more bitter use. I cherish this film, and am shocked at how hard it is to obtain. The US has ignored it, and so has the UK, and shame on both countries for doing so, and shame on the independent DVD companies who turned their back on a great, great film.

Perhaps I am to blame my unfamiliarity with the original novel by Benjamin Constant (1816), but this movie turned out to be one of the most boring titles that have graced my eyes. As a fan of French cinema in general, and Adjani in particular, I was eager to watch this `movie about great tragic love' (as I was told by people who recommended it). As I watched this movie, I realized that I've been tricked, misinformed: there's no such thing as `love' in this movie, just appalling lust. Basically, to sum it up, this is a shot at the time-old story of a man who falls for a woman; woman sleeps with the man; man stops caring about the woman yet sticks with her `out of principle'. Meanwhile, the viewer is forced to sit though a good hour and half of Adjani's lamentations (which got tiring after the first 20 minutes of the movie) and with the male lead that `floats' around mumbling quasi-meaningless clichéd observations while being about as expressive as a log. Nothing really happens in the movie (which could have been easily shortened two-folds), and when the credits finally start to roll the only thing that redeems this piece of cinematic work is the fact that it finally came to an end. Ultimately, the story as it is presented by this disappointment of a movie feels like a distasteful version of Eugene Onegin (even though Adolphe was written slightly before Pushkin's chef-d'oeuvre), minus the parts that made Onegin exciting and thrilling.

1/10

This movie has not been released yet in the U.S. and who knows if it ever will be. Fortunately, I have a multi-region DVD player so I ordered the DVD from amazon.fr. I enjoyed "Adolphe" very much. The story is quite sad (A young man pursues a beautiful older woman. She in turn becomes obsessed with him, even leaving her own children for this doomed affair.) but engaging and hard to forget. Isabelle Adjani shines as the tragic Ellenore. Ms. Adjani hasn't been in the public eye since the mid-90s (except for 2001's "La Repentie") and I'm thrilled to see my favorite actress back in such a challenging role. The movie itself comes across more like theater than film - its very minimalist. Such technique, keeps one focused on the story but may come across as boring to viewers used to big-budget productions. The attention to detail in the costumes and other peroid data is very good. Hopefully this film will eventually be shown outside France for the rest of the world to enjoy. Until then, if you have a multi- region DVD player or a computer than can view region 2 DVDs, you can order it from amazon.fr. If you're a fan of Isabelle Adjani and her work in such films as "L'historie d'Adele H, Camille Claudel and La Reine Margot, you wont be disappointed.

receives a 1, instead of a -0- due to the quality of the actors. the amazingly beautiful Isabelle Adjani as Ellenore, an incredibly boring, one-dimensional, stupid woman. Stanislas Merhar, who delivers an incredibly un-nuanced performance as the moronic "Adolphe". the usually always wonderful Jean Yanne in a wasted performance as The Count. Romain Duris, as usual, an excellent performance as the effeminate D'Efeuil; and the fabulous Jacquot muse, Islid Le Besco as a wasted bit player, La Lingerie. i spend time on the actors because of the incredibly UNtalented directorship of M. Jacquot! where his reputation comes from is a huge question mark? however, he does have the unique talent of both selecting very unteresting topics, then making each of his movies very very boring, droll, and worst of all, he simply does NOT know how to tell a story in a way that "doesn't" put the viewer to sleep; OR, he thinks of himself as a genius and selects subjects, (only) he believes, will be of interest to the viewer. after having seen, actually wasting time, 3 of his movies at a Benoit Jacquot festival at Lincoln Center, NYC June-July 2006, i can unequvically say, he may be the worst director, or the most boring, of the last 35 yrs!!! it's a shame, so many fine actors have been gulled to appear in his odious interpretations, & hopefully, he will retire, left to watch his own boring work, which should easily put even him to sleep, as most of the audience in attendance at this "Festival" were?!