cynharm

EYES WIDE SHUT... VERTIGO... MULHOLLAND DRIVE... 8 1/2... IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE... If you didn't like any of these films then steer clear of FEMME FATALE - it's not the guilty pleasure you've been looking for.

FEMME FATALE is a deliberately artificial work that blatantly ignores the popular conventions of mainstream cinema, while simultaneously seducing us with stylish tribute to noir bad girls. It's a film within a film. A dream masquerading as a story. A thriller that gives way to a self-referential commentary.

And the script? The acting? The dialogue? Artificial. Deliciously so. The mise-en-scene? The music? The split screen images? Self referential and loaded with double, triple and quadruple meanings.

FEMME FATALE is like midnight ride in a sleazy amusement park, and when it's all over you'll either want to barf over the side or you'll want jump in line to experience it all over again.

Say what you will about CROUPIER, but this film knows its world. Every detail - from the seedy background characters of the casino to slick hands of the dealer - come to life seemingly without effort.

A tight, minimal script - the film could almost be a stage play - highlighted by strong perfomances makes CROUPIER a minimalist treat.

A comedy about bending the rules to reach your goal, BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM explores the world of women's football in the West London suburb of Hounslow. Paminder Nagra stars as teenager soccer whiz Jesminder whose parents are keen for her to hang up her football cleats, find a nice boyfriend, and learn to cook the perfect chapatti. Enter Kiera Knightley - the scrawniest footballer in history - who enlists Jes to play in a local women's league, much to the horror of her parents, especially her father, wonderfully played by Anupam Kher.

Director Gurinder Chadha and her team of screenwriters keep the pace light and fun, making sure Jesminder's cultural conflict never strays from the boundaries of the comedic realm. A romantic subplot with Jes's Irish coach, played by Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, is less successful, and seems to intrude on the message of individuality and self-esteem.

Luckily, the pacing of the movie is breezy and fast, and any moments that serve to slow the movie down don't last long. BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM is a winner.