Cuori

Adapted from Alan Ayckbourn's recent (2004) play, this movie has a structure that reminds me of two well known plays. The structure of some 50 short scenes brings to mind Noel Coward's "Cavalcade". Having plots revolving around 6 characters draws an obvious comparison to Luigi Pirandello's "Six characters in search of an author". But both similarities are superficial. "Private fears" is a distinctly different play.

The interrelationship between the six characters is somewhat random, but clever for this very randomness. These various relationships include real estate agent and client, office co-workers, brother/sister, part-time aged-parent-sitter and employer, engaged couple living together, bartender and familiar client, blind dates. Each character is party to two or three of these relationships. Some of these relationships we see right from the beginning; others evolve right before our eyes. Outwardly casual relationships have subtle intimacy; apparently intimate relationships turn out to be rather casual. The emotional spectrum goes from heart-breaking poignancy to hilarious farce. There is never a dull moment in this movie, (except to those who have a tendency to fall asleep UNLESS there is a car chase, an explosion or steaming sex).

"Private fears" also offers a good mix of art house appeal and mainstream entertainment. Artsy scenes, not overused, enrich the film throughout: entire scene shot from overhead, montage transformation of a conversation at a kitchen table to the snowy outdoors - just two most conspicuous examples. Nor does the movie shy away from cliché comic situations when then are called for.

This portrayal of ultimate loneliness in the urban alienation of the City of Lights is brought to the audience by an excellent cast of mostly director Alain Resnais' veterans.

What's good about this film are the Resnais trademarks - the beautiful apartments, the interesting details of decor and props, the great camera-work, the excellent acting from an attractive cast, the acute observation of people's behaviour, motivations and relationships. So, why the moderate score? All this attention on surface appearances results in a certain superficiality. Several unconnected stories, while not an unknown approach, create a certain distance from the characters. Influential relationships, for example father-son, are not shown on screen. And as in many French films, no-one seems to work much or has to deal with real world problems outside of relationships. There's little real logic in story lines or outcomes. There's also a certain clumsy dependence on overt clichés: video porn is compelling for men but denounced by women, men need space and women need children, there are difficult old men and naive young women, misunderstandings abound. Like candy floss or indeed video porn, enjoyable at the time, but it doesn't leave lasting memories.

This is based on a piece by English playwright Ayckbourn. His is not a name that comes up frequently any more, but he had a long, successful run, specializing in relationships that mingled pathos with humor. This is one of these circular stories, that focus on a group of characters who are tangentially related, but who don't all know each other. There is Lionel the barman and his horrible, bedridden old father. The father is being cared for by Charlotte, who also works in a real estate office with Thierry. Lionel pours drinks for his alcoholic friend Dan, who is also a client of Thierry. Dan and his girlfriend are looking for an apartment, but their relationship is on the rocks.

All of the characters are struggling with some kind of loneliness or other, but it is presented in a light, amusing manner. A few of the characters are older than usual, which is good to see. I thought that the production design clashed somewhat with the realistic narrative. It is all obviously shot on soundstages, sometimes with garish colors, and for some reason the scene changes are noted with flurries of snow, as if it were a Christmas story.

The French film Coeurs was shown in the U.S. with the title Private Fears In Public Places (2006). It was directed by Alain Resnais. Resnais directed the brilliant film, Hiroshima mon Amour (1959). (IMDb rating 7.9.) It's hard to believe that 47 years later he would direct this light-weight movie.

The concept is interesting--three men and three women who live in Paris. All of them know at least one other person, but, actually, all six are connected. There's just one degree of separation between the people who don't know each other. For example, Dan (Lambert Wilson) and his fiancé Nicole (Laura Morante) are looking for an apartment. The real estate agent who shows them the apartment is Thierry (André Dussollier). His sister is Gaëlle (Isabelle Carré), dates Dan after he breaks up with Nicole. However, he's unaware that the real estate agent he met is Gaëlle's brother.

The key player of the six is Charlotte (Sabine Azéma). She is the pious secretary in Thierry's office, but also has a nighttime job where she cares for Lionel's sick father. Lionel (Pierre Arditi) is Dan's bartender. And so it goes. Incidentally, Charlotte is the most interesting character in the movie, because she has a very dark secret.

All the meetings (and near meetings) take place in a Paris where it is always snowing. The characters enter with snow on their coats and hats. It's fake snow, so it never melts. It just sits there. I assume that's very symbolic. The snow is an recurring, annoying element.

Some of the casting doesn't make sense. Isabelle Carré portrays André Dussollier's younger sister. Well, very younger sister. Carré is 25 years younger than Dussollier. She should be his daughter, not his sister.

All in all, a mediocre movie by a famous director. It has an IMDb rating of 6.9, which is just about right. We saw it on DVD, where it worked well. You might want to check it out, but, then again, you might not.

Relationships. They can be funny and sad. There is the relationship of Charlotte (Sabine Azéma) with her co-worker Thierry (André Dussollier). She is very religious and lends him a video of religious music. Of course, when the TV program cuts off, he sees something I am sure she didn't mean for him to see. Or, did she? It is not clear.

Then there is Charlotte and Lionel's (Pierre Arditi) father Arthur (Claude Rich). She is working as a caregiver in the evenings and Arthur, whom we never see, is one cantankerous old bastard. he throws soup on her, speaks foully, and screams at her.

Lionel, a bartender, has to deal with his father, and with Dan (Lambert Wilson), who got kicked out of the Army six months ago and is getting hell from his fiancée, Nicole (Laura Morante) for not finding a job. He spends his time getting plastered.

Thierry and Charlotte are funny the next day discussing the tape. Charlotte has no idea what she left on the end. Thierry is looking forward to another tape. He is not disappointed. Of course, after the second tape, he moves forward with disastrous results, but Charlotte exposes her secret to Lionel and it is just the thing to shut him up. Naturally, she has to do a lot of praying afterward.

Like I said, there is a lot that is funny, and a whole lot that is sad, but isn't that the way relationships are? Alain Resnais got a lot out of some very talented actors and presented a film that was thoroughly enjoyable.