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The
Film:
From
the very beginning of this film you become almost instantly aware that
you are
about to view something slowly paced. We find our lead character, Jean,
(who is
a builder who works on constructing houses) drilling away while working
his
seemingly dull and repetitive job. The camera stays with this for
several
minutes. I wanted to mention this right off the bat because knowing
this could
make you want to avoid this film, which could probably be viewed, at
least on
some basic level, as an antithesis to works from Michael Bay (the
master of
films that lack in subtlety). Mademoiselle
Chambon is certainly lacking in adrenaline (i.e. explosions) or
even sweeping
camera movements.
However,
while this film is rich in subtlety, the story you'll find is a simple
one.
Perhaps it is even too simple. Jean (Vincent Lindon) is an average man
who
works to provide for his family. He is married and has one young son.
In an
early scene we see him struggle to understand some homework given to
his child
so we know from that moment forward that he is not simply working
construction
because of a love for it. He seems depressed in most scenes, but also
seemingly
happy enough in others when in the company of his family. Then one day
he meets
Mademoiselle Chambon (Sandrine Kiberlain), who is a new teacher at the
school
his son attends. She converses with him as he picks up his child and
they begin
a slight flirtation. The rest of the film focuses primarily on that
flirtation,
its growth and continuation, and in looking at the psyche of these two
characters, without letting us in on what they are specifically
thinking in any
given moment. Can a relationship brew between them? If so, wouldn't
that be going
against the conventions of what we can accept as a society? The movie
asks us
to look at the possibility of a possible romance brewing between these
two
people. We know that they should not be together based upon things like
career
backgrounds, personality differences, and the fact that the man in this
scenario already has a family. Yet the film wants us to pause and ask
"What if
they could be together?"
With
a weaker cast this movie would self-collapse almost instantaneously. We are expected to sympathize with characters
who
want a romantic bond to flourish between one another despite issues
that should
easily prevent such a thing from ever happening. As an audience member,
it can
sometimes be hard to accept such behavior when one considers the family
background of Jean, and it leaves no small task to the actors to make
us
connect emotionally to the story being told. This is where I left the
film
feeling somewhat disappointed. It was beautifully filmed. The actors
did a good
job of trying to portray the complexity of their emotions. The
foundations of
the story provoked a wide range of thoughts, leaving room for
discussion, and encouraging
interpretation. I just could not connect to these characters, which is
an
important point, and a huge detractor.
While
the pacing was slow, it was the result of a film-maker working with a
genuine
artistic passion to capture the emotional complexities of Jean and
Mademoiselle
Chambon. This correlates with one thing I did also appreciate about the
film:
it was willing to take chances with its style and hope that the
audience would
still be there to appreciate those risks.
None
of these superior qualities can quite guarantee enjoyment of this film
though.
By the time the final frame flashed before my eyes I simply felt a cold
sense
of detachment from the conclusion I had just witnessed. I never did
connect to
these characters. I never felt as though I had an opportunity to truly
get to
know them. The most I learned was that they are sad and lonely people
living
separate lives, and who both shared a bond over music while cautiously
flirting
and leaving important things left unsaid. Their bond was a silent one.
It was
as though words were not necessary to express their love. Or was it
love from
both of them?
It's
just too bad that I felt coldness as the credits rolled. I can hardly
suspect
the film-maker's intent was for that.
The
DVD:
Audio:
The film is presented in its original French language with a 5.1 Dolby
Digital surround track. The clarity was strong and there were some good
uses of
the surrounds for the music in the film. Just remember that this was a
low
budget drama and keep your expectations in check. There are few uses of
the
surrounds for special effects, but the audio is somewhat enveloping.
Certainly,
this was more impressive than I was necessarily expecting.
The English subtitles are optional and can be
turned on or off.
Video:
Presented
in its original theatrical exhibition ratio of
2:35:1, viewers will be glad to know the DVD transfer does not
disappoint. It
is a strong transfer that manages to capture the somewhat bleak yet
beautiful
photography employed with the film. It does not appear to have any
noticeable
video manipulations, and is all the better for it. This film never
gives off
the impression of being a high budget production. However, it should be
true to
the source and not much better could be done with that without viewing
the
Blu-ray edition (also available by Lorber Films).
Extras:
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I
must admit to being even more
impressed by the included extras than by the film itself. While you
won't find
any extensive making of materials or even an audio commentary track,
the
material that is included is very informative and for anyone who viewed
this
film, it should be fascinating to fully explore. Regardless of one's
opinion on
the movie itself, the director will make you interested in his thought
process
behind putting it all together. In the Interview
with Director Stephane Brize, an unseen interviewer questions many
of his
stylistic and content choices made in the film. Brize answers these
questions
with grace and surprising honesty. I learned a lot about the history of
how the
film came into existence, and what specifically inspired its creation
and how
this relates to his motivation. The book the film is based upon is also
discussed in relation to the differences between the two versions and
the
author's response to the screenplay. If you ever were annoyed by a
director who
wasn't willing to say he had some regrets, you won't find that kind of
man on
display here. We learn what he is proud of and what he may have
regretted doing
with the editing and narrative force of the film, and it gave me a
greater
appreciation for the work put into Mademoiselle
Chambon. Some interesting facts about the success of the film are
also
shared.
Another
good extra is a re-edited
and compiled series of deleted scenes the director wanted to rearrange
and mix
together into a sort of "short film". It's not really sound in
narrative, but
in the context of viewing the film and this bonus it does give a better
grasp
on some of the ideas he had considered pursing as a filmmaker. This
extra has a
special introduction by film critic Stephane Goudet.
Lastly,
to round up the extras we
get some stills from the film that can be clicked through, the
theatrical
trailer and a handful of trailers for other Lorber Films releases.
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Final
Thoughts:
This
was an interesting and inspired film about unsaid words
and romantic connections. However, it will not appeal to everyone, and
it does
suffer from some poor characterization. If you are in the mood to take
a chance
on something different, with unique performances, it would make a good
rental.
If you end up liking the film the extras are informative and enjoyable
enough
to warrant a purchase. Rent it.
Neil Lumbard is a lifelong fan of cinema, and a student who aspires to make movies. He loves writing, and currently does in Texas. |
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