La belle bête

2006
1h 50m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

La Belle Bête is a powerful study of the conflict between beauty and ugliness, hate and love. The story revolves around three main characters. At the center, Patrice, a beautiful but mindles... Read allLa Belle Bête is a powerful study of the conflict between beauty and ugliness, hate and love. The story revolves around three main characters. At the center, Patrice, a beautiful but mindless youth stands gazing at his image in the water. Around him move his ugly sister Isabelle-... Read allLa Belle Bête is a powerful study of the conflict between beauty and ugliness, hate and love. The story revolves around three main characters. At the center, Patrice, a beautiful but mindless youth stands gazing at his image in the water. Around him move his ugly sister Isabelle-Marie, and his frivolous mother Louise, the first lost in love and hate for her brother's ... Read all

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

5.6/10

544

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 win & 1 nomination total

Photos7

+ 4

User reviews2

5.6544

Featured reviews

9dennisbartok

Haunted Silence and Emotional Horrors

Director Karim Hussain's LA BELLE BETE, adapted from a book by acclaimed novelist Marie- Claire Blais, feels like a great Louis Malle or Eric Rohmer film from the 1970's that somehow slipped through the cracks. Austere and pared-to-the-bone, both visually and emotionally, the story focuses on the insanely-screwed up relationship between an aging (but still sexy) mother, her oddball daughter, and the beautiful man/boy of a son that they both long to possess and control. Suffice to say this is NOT Norman Rockwell's vision of a happy family. Terrific performances all around in three very difficult roles aided by Hussain's carefully calibrated direction and cinematography (he also served as DP on the film.) A dense, poetic and emotionally harrowing film, this one is well worth the effort.