226. French Exit; movie review

 

 

FRENCH EXIT

Cert 15

110 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong language, sex references

Recently, it has been extraordinary how many excellent performances have emerged from movies which have been tepid overall.

Michelle Pfeiffer was understandably nominated for a Golden Globe for her controlled feistiness in Azazel Jacobs' French Exit.

But the movie, which has shades of Woody Allen, failed to strike a chord.

Pfeiffer plays a Manhattan socialite who is forced to move to a friend's apartment in Paris when her substantial wealth runs out.

She takes along her workshy and socially awkward son (Lucas Hedges) and she sets about getting rid of the small amount of cash she has left.

Touching their lives are the lad's dismayed girlfriend (Imogen Poots), a real-life witch (Danielle Macdonald) and a lonely and eccentric Paris neighbour (Valerie Mahaffey).

French Exit has the feeling of a theatre piece - with an impressive cast given a dialogue which is a little too smart to be funny.

Indeed, the problem with Jacobs' film is that it doesn't elicit laughs.

And, after a while, the characters and their combination of arrogance and neediness begins to grate.

Then there is a drift into surrealism which just left me shaking my head.

In other words, despite Pfeiffer's best efforts, I was happy when I was departing the French Exit.

Reasons to watch: Michelle Pfeiffer giving her all

Reasons to avoid: Not very interesting story

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 4/10

Did you know? Michelle Pfeiffer's first film role as the female lead was in Grease 2. Critics were receptive to Pfeiffer’s newcomer performance but unfortunately, the film flopped.

The final word. Michelle Pfeiffer: "It was such a good adaptation. And of course, it’s always a challenge, because you can’t put everything in a book into the script. And that’s always the complaint and, “Oh, I liked the book so much better.” But I have to say, this was really successful." The Play List

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