My Old Lady

First Hit:  Powerful acting in a dark film about the effect of affairs on family.

This was a very pointed film about how an affair can affect a child’s view of themselves and the world around them.

Mathias Gold (Kevin Kline) has nothing left except an apartment, in Paris, left to him by his estranged father. He travels to Paris to claim his inheritance only to discover that Mathilde Girard (Maggie Smith) and her daughter Chloe Girard (Kristin Scott Thomas) both live in the apartment.

In French law someone can sell their apartment (Girard) to someone else, in this case Mathias Gold’s father, and the new owner pays the old owner a  monthly fee while continuing to live there. This is a way that an apartment can be sold for a bargain and the old owner has a place to stay, some money in hand and an ongoing income.

Mathias discovers that Mathilde was his father’s lover. With this set up, the actors explore the dynamics of how this affects the families of the people having the affair. Paris, the city of love, is highlighted here as shots of the neighborhood where the apartment rests, and the Seine are wonderful.

The dynamic of Chloe and Mathias is pointed, extraordinary, while the emotionally blind Mathilde slowly becomes aware of the impact of her past actions.

Kline was amazing in the range of his pain and charm as expressed when he tells Chloe of his mother’s death and his singing of an aria with a stranger on the Seine. Smith was powerful in her own belief that what she did was OK, and as she begins to see what effect it had on others. Scott Thomas’ transition from arrogance to compassion for both herself and Mathias was a site to behold - sublime. Israel Horovitz wrote and directed this powerful yet dark film.

Overall:  This was a very good film, and it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.

The Invisible Woman

First Hit:  This film had possibilities but really failed to deliver feeling.

This is a film about a famous writer (Charles Dickens) who meets a younger woman and keeps her as a secret girlfriend. So what is the interesting about this story - not a lot. Therefore it would have to be the acting of this story to make it compelling to watch. 

From that end Ralph Fiennes (Dickens), Nelly, the younger woman, (Felicity Jones) and her mother Francis Ternan (Kristin Scott Thomas) did a good job of making the story interesting. However, by the next day it was gone, the thoughts, feelings and the story.

Even though there were strong attempts to share a story about breaking free from the norms of that society, there just wasn’t enough there to make this film unique or stimulating or even thought-provoking.

Fiennes was strong enough to be a good Dickens. Jones was the most interesting character. Her intelligence and clarity of action was very good. Scott Thomas was good as well. Abi Morgan wrote an adequate screen play about a mostly conventional subject matter. Fiennes had a good hand on the tiller of this story, but it was the story itself that lacked punch.

Overall:  This was a many told story that lacked something unique.

The Woman in the Fifth (La femme du Veme)

First Hit:  Confusing and not quite engaging enough to recommend.

This is an odd little film because Tom (played by Ethan Hawke) appears to be perfectly fine as he finds the location of his daughter Chloe (played by Julie Papillon) who is living in Paris with her mom Nathalie (played by Delphine Chuillot).

We quickly learn that there is a restraining order for him to stay away from them both. The police are called and he leaves, gets robbed of all his belongings and finds himself begging for a place to sleep. He gets a job sitting all night letting people into a bunker like building.

As the film rolls along we note that something isn’t right. He meets an older woman Margit (played by Kristin Scott Thomas) who invites him to visit her twice a week at a precise time at her home in the 5th Arrondissement for wild sex.

There is also the romantic pull of a beautiful polish barmaid Ania (played by Joanna Kulig) in the sleazy building he is living in. She wants to have a relationship with him and eventually they connect. But people start dying, Margit doesn’t really exist and the line between reality and fantasy is blurred.

Unfortunately, the way this film unfolds there is really no guiding path on which the audience can relate. In the end, the film is confused and unsatisfying.

Hawke is at times intense, lost, and mediocre in this part. Papillon is cute as the daughter. Chuillot is beautiful and strong in her brief screen moments. Thomas is OK as the illusive seductress. Kulig was the best part of this film. Douglas Kennedy’s book was converted in an unfulfilling way by Pawel Pawlikowski who also directed this unfocussed film.

Overall: Started off well but got lost early and fizzled out altogether.

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

First Hit:  This was a very delightful film to watch.

Sheikh Mohammed (played by Amr Waked) believes that by introducing Salmon fishing in Yemen, his countrymen will learn patience while creating a new food resource, (with the fish and using the water to make the desert green) and an appreciation for life itself.

Harriet (played by Emily Blunt) works for a British investment company that manages much of the Sheikh’s money. There is a skirmish in the Middle East and the British and 10 Downing Street want to deflect the negative press by creating a feel good story.

They pick this idea of introducing Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. The guy charged with this from the fisheries department is Dr. Alfred Jones (played by Ewan McGregor). He scoffs at this idea and turns them down.

But the Prime Minister guided by his press secretary Patricia Maxwell (played by Kristin Scott Thomas) orders Alfred to take the project on. At home Dr. Jones’ married life is very sterile and the defining moment is a scene where he and his wife make love. Harriet is involved in the project because she is the lead for the Sheikh.

One of the themes in this film is “faith”. The Sheikh poses the discussion of faith at various moments and he does this effectively. The humor between the uptight Dr. Jones and the open Harriet was perfect.

Although this film is formulaic, it executes in its own unique way.

Waked was beautiful in his execution of the Sheikh’s role. The “1,000 apologies” statement when he has an argument with a fellow countryman was perfect as was his fishing in his robes. Blunt is amazing in her performance. She can be vulnerable, strong, and beautiful all in the same moment. Here she does this perfectly and her voice – simply intoxicating. McGregor was sublime as an uptight intellectual who prefers talking with fish versus humans. As he unfolds his life in-front of the Sheikh and Harriet, he unfolds his life in front of himself. McGregor was extremely effective doing this. Scott Thomas was funny and in full bloom in this characterization of an overzealous PR person for a head of government. Simon Beaufoy and Paul Torday wrote a fun and poignant script. Lasse Hallstrom directed this film with a wonderfully perceptive hand while paying attention to the subtle details that make films good.

Overall: This is a joyous and enjoyable film – worth watching.

Love Crime (Crime d'amour)

First Hit:  Occasionally brilliant, other times confusing and in the end adequately done.

Powerful business women, deceit, and the climb to the top were the subjects of this film.

Christine (played by Kristin Scott Thomas) is a senior executive in Paris looking for a way to move up the corporate ladder and into New York, the home offices of the company she works for. Her beautiful smart assistant Isabelle (played by Ludivine Sagnier) works long and hard to make her boss look great.

Isabelle also loves Christine and at times you think the reverse is true as well. They both sleep with men but are not married. When Christine takes credit for Isabelle’s work, Isabelle is hurt and as their relationship becomes strained, it becomes an office war.

Although the story and intent feels clear, the script, direction and acting, especially on Thomas’ part, is uneven. At times intense and other times her acting came with a lack of energy.

The script called for American business men coming to meet with them, but quite frankly, the meetings had no substance and everything seemed miscast in those moments. Isabelle sets the mood for the last half of the film as she becomes vengeful.

There is a reference to some past unstableness, but it isn’t explored and this makes her devious plan to get back at Christine questionable.

Thomas is not at her best in this role. I liked the hardness of her character, but felt the part meandered. Sagnier carried a lot of energy in her role with expressions and a wavering mental stability, but where did this come from? There was little mining and character development but this wasn’t her fault. This was the issue of the writers Alain Corneau and Nathalie Carter who created a script which had holes in it. What business were they in? What were the skills required? I wanted some depth to the business and the characters. Alain Corneau directed this and he needed to create a film with more depth. It seemed more aimed and the con.

Overall:  Not much of a film when it is seen from its whole.