France

Not far from the Brandenburg Gate, I happened to be standing right next to the German TV presenter Johannes B. Kerner, who was already getting ready for a TV dress rehearsal of the New Year's Eve celebration broadcast on the ZDF television station. I was able to see up close how thick the make-up is on the faces of our TV noses. Lea SEYDOUX wears exactly this type of television make-up throughout the entire film. And then there are the strange clothes that are supposed to look good on the screen, but in reality look pretty grotesque.

It all starts with President Macron personally having to warn the popular TV presenter France De Meurs (SEYDOUX) to keep quiet at his press conference. Then we witness how current news television is staged. Bizarre, enlightening and very frightening! It's about appearance, staging and reality. And yes, Bruno DUMONT's films are always very special. Please only watch if you have a good dose of joy in cynicism!

The cast is great! Chansonnier Benjamin BIOLAY is there as the author husband of the busy TV reporter, Juliane KÖHLER (Silver Bear 1999 for AIMEE & JAGUAR) has a bizarre appearance as an over-the-top spa patient. And the comedienne Blanche GARDIN is really great as the manager of our television nose. I also really liked her in "Delete History". This actress is definitely one to keep an eye on! Seriously! And then an almost forgotten female former chancellor scurries across the screen...mon dieu!

The film has so far grossed $1.3 million in the box office worldwide. And yes, I have to admit it: I'm cynical enough to say that I really enjoyed the film. And evil as I am, the TV-obsessed France de Meurs often made me think of German talk show hosts like Sabine CHRISTIANSEN...well, enough of the nastiness for now!!! Oh yes, the film can be seen in the original version with subtitles in German cinemas, which is also very sensible. There's no other way, really!

Bruno Dumont tells the story of a television journalist and presenter. To show us what goes on behind the scenes, the way these journalists operate, their lack of humanity, the staging, their selfishness despite the showcase they present. But also the character of Léa Seydoux, who carries the film, whom Bruno Dumont paints with her contradictions, her complexities, her changing moods. This makes the character almost endearing, not at all monolithic, which we as viewers can't judge, given the number of contradictions in her character.

The mix of professional and amateur actors works perfectly, providing a real anchor that gives density to the subject.

We can only admit that the strings are thick: the film is devoid of subtlety. This is always the case with Bruno Dumont. But the trick with the laptop resting on the joystick that plays the commentary is really a screenwriter's trick, not believable for a second. This penalizes the film as a whole.

It's worth noting that all Léa Seydoux's scenes with her husband, Benjamin Biolay, are the best in the film, whether as a couple or in a group with other people.

All in all, Bruno Dumont gets his messages and criticisms across well, while inviting reflection in which not everything is black and white.

"Such faux-naivety shows Dumont's tricksy proclivity to go against the grain for characterization, he distances France from a realistic, complex character, then magnifies her every banal emotion beat from her easily processed headspace to the extreme of absurdity. France has no tact in fending off life's caprices, her guilt (after injuring an immigrant delivery man), her rage (a romance with a fellow resident in an expensive sanitarium turning out to be a hoax), her grief (a road tragedy shot in disturbingly long and slo-mo details), never reach far to get audience's sympathy. France de Meurs might be read as a symbol of France the country, all glossy and haute-couture-y, but troubled by the immigrant crisis, deluded by the deceptive wooing parties and dreading disaster can be detonated at any minute and much more."

read my full review on my blog: Cinema Omnivore, thanks.

Promising premise, terrible execution. It feels like there was never a script, just some nice locations where someone said "Hey! This would look good! Let's shoot here! We'll figure out where it fits later. Or not."

Unlike its trailer/loglines, this film widely misses the mark as a skewering of image-centered "journalists", infotainment and the like, areas so ripe for the satire which is so badly needed in today's media-centric world. What a missed opportunity!

Fortunately the actor Blanche Gardin can improv or at least deliver some lines well; otherwise.... Also, did they fire the editor? Loooooooooong shots that were really, really unnecessary, contributing nothing but boredom. In fact, it starts to be risible. The relentless pathway eventually seems so ludicrous, one can only start laughing at the incongruities.

I suggest watching with a shot of spirits; every time France cries, take a shot. You'll be drunk in about 10 minutes-- which is not even a good excuse for watching this -- and comatose by the end. And you'll be missing nothing. Shame because Lea Seydoux has been rather good in many good films; who knows what happened here: bad choice? Coercion?

Recap: No script or at least nothing to say, bad editing, scenes that are long and drawn-out for no reason, and even a couple of actors who have all the personaity and intrigue of a plastic spoon (i'll name no names). Make it a definite miss; catch The French Dispatch (or indeed, anything else) instead.

Some people appear to be comparing this (favourably) to Network, which is a bit puzzling. It's not a bad film by any means, but there's a reason that Network is remembered as a classic after 45 years - which I doubt will be the case here.

However, Seydoux is radiant here, and clearly having fun with her own (real life) fame and image in her portrayal of the "celebrity journalist" France. Her apartment is glorious as are (initially) most aspects of her life - which of course starts to fall apart shortly into the action.

Tonally, though, I was often confused by this... for example the opening scene seems to be being played for laughs but appears mainly just embarrassing. Later on, some *really* tragic things happen to her - but is this simply for dramatic effect rather than some kind of karma? I really wasn't sure. Certainly little seemed comedic in the normal sense, although those familiar with Dumont fare such as "Slack Bay" will probably be ready for "not normal" approaches. He seems much more restrained here.

Worth a look, but I doubt I'll be rewatching.