Monday, May 12, 2008

Sans Moi


This is a very strange film by Olivier Panchot mainly because the way he decided to tell the story about a divorced woman with two children that hires a nanny to help her with the kids, as she works at home. As soon as Lise, the nanny, comes into Anna’s life she is totally seduced by her and what follows is like an orchestrated ballet full of sensuality told basically by sights.

This is a free adaptation of a novel by Marie Desplechin and is free because in the novel the story is told from the young girl point of view, while in the movie Panchot decided to tell the story from the older woman point of view. Perhaps because of all the changes the story feels fragmented and you can hardly explain or understand the character motives. At the end it is supposed to be an essay about loneliness, but according to me is a story about falling in love with someone up to the point of obsession and never act upon your feelings, until you go absolutely mad.

Nevertheless is a very beautiful movie to watch, as the cinematography is fantastic with outstandingly beautiful views of Paris and many outdoors and indoor takes with excellent framing and lighting. In a way it seems that Panchot paid more attention to the images (which to me is excellent) and less attention to the story he was telling.

Still the two actresses performances are amazing with Yaël Abecassis playing an Anna that starts so assertive and transforms herself as the attraction consumes her; then Clémence Poésy looks and behaves like a normal young girl, until her life mysteries unravel right before our eyes. By the way some of you may recognize Poésy as she was in one Harry Potter movie playing Fleur Delacour. Okay Lise character double life is somehow too much to be believable, but I think is because the changes from the novel.

Not an easy movie to watch and even if is totally lesbian interest I know that many that enjoy the genre will not like this movie. The best reference is if you enjoyed La Tourneuse de Pages (The Page Turner) then perhaps you will like this strange movie that is not a thriller but mostly a sensuous drama.

Enjoy.

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