17. A Woman's Life (Une vie); movie review
Cert 12A
116 mins
Baca Juga
For its first hour, A Woman's Life was everything I, as a non-devotee of period dramas, had anticipated - faux politeness, tight corsets, heaving bosoms and dastardly deeds.
In addition, I felt that director Stéphane Brizé had lingered too long over the inconsequential and not allowed the film's small segments of drama to breathe.
However, one really does have to experience the entire length of A Woman's Life to understand its nuances.
By the time it had reached its finale, I realised just how impressive Judith Chemla's performance was.
Chemla plays the title character, Jeanne, who is born into French nobility and who, at the outset of the movie, is being persuaded to marry a man (Swann Arlaud) of whom she is unsure.
Jeanne has added interest because of what others might see as staggering naivety. She chooses to believe what she is told by those closest to her despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
Inevitably, this leads her to a world of pain.
Also looming large are the power of the church and the dubious question of honour which seems to mire the upper classes.
Husband, parents, son, maid and friends are all portrayed as having a huge impact on Jeanne's life but none are given much more than cameo time in the film.
Instead, in adapting Guy de Maupassant's novel, Brizé scarcely allows Jeanne a moment away from the focus.
This means that, even when the storyline is at its quietest, the audience is building up a considerable empathy for the young woman which is very important as the film progresses.
Aside of this smart character development, Brizé should be praised for his use of the beautiful French coast and his re-creation of 19th century-style austerity which literally made me shiver.
On the down side, he does spend too much time on the mundane and not enough on the dramatic.
He might argue that mirrors life and he may well be right.
Reasons to watch: fans of period dramas will enjoy
Reasons to avoid: it lingers too long one the mundane and does not give enough time to dramatic moments
Laughs: none
Jumps: none
Vomit: none
Nudity: yes
Overall rating: 7/10
Director's statement - Stéphane Brizé : "I was fascinated by discovering the vision of the world of someone who has very high views of mankind. It is absolutely beautiful to find a woman like Jeanne, whose idea of mankind and the world is probably very naive."
Th big question: Were the 19th century corsets really that tight?
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