Bruno Reidel Confession of a Murderer(2021)Rendez-Vous with French Cinema 2022

 

Bruno Reidel is being sold as the story of a panel trying to determine if a 17 year old seminary student is sane enough to stand trial for murder. The law concerning such matters and the connection between church and state had recently changed and this was the first encounter with an actual case and the law. The film is actually more a recounting of the young man’s life.

This extremely well made and well acted film isn’t as compelling as one would have hoped. The problem is that the film is really just the story of Reidel. There is nothing wrong with that except that it’s the story of an abused young man who is filled with dark thoughts and Catholic guilt.  Yes it’s a brilliant telling of the young man’s story but I don’t know why we are being told it. What am I supposed to get from it? I don’t know.  I’m sure that greater minds than me can find some deeper themes but there are so many factors going into it I can’t find anything universal about it.

Worth a look for the craft or if you like bleak tales of life, but for no other reason.

Robust (2021)Rendez-Vous With French Cinema

Hands down the best thing I’ve seen Gérard Depardieu in in a very long time.  Playing a version of himself, a famous actor with a difficult reputation he ends up with a part time wrestler to act as his bodyguard and babysitter when his regular one has to take time off.  Of course the odd couple begin to bond in unexpected ways.

This is a great little film. To be certain the film hits many of the expected points, but at the same time the performance and the interplay between  Depardieuand Déborah Lukumuena shines.  It’s a chemistry of the sort we don’t see very often.

And I need to just say again how good Depardieu is. This is the first time  in a long time where he seems to real relish performing. There is a genuine performance here not just a movie star tearing through his lines.  When the film was done I wanted to up to him and give him a hug for being wonderful.

This is worth your time and money.

Brief thoughts on Magnetic Beats (2021) Rendez-Vous With French Cinema

This is the story of two brothers in the 1980s who set up a radio station and broadcast rock and roll to rural France. As they consider their compulsory military service they have to contend with a certain young lady and what they want to do with their lives.

This is a really nice slice of life that’s infused with a great music score. It’s a coming of age tale I could relate to since while I was an ocean away I was and am about the age of the characters on screen.

This is a small gem and recommended. 

A RENDEZ-VOUS WITH FRENCH CINEMA 2022 CURTAIN RAISER

The annual look at French movies starts Thursday night at Lincoln Center. This annual festival is some times poopooed by some snotty critics because it doesn’t always have the big  French films (largely because they have been snapped up by mainstream distributors)  but they always have the glitz and clamor by bringing in a lot of big stars to do Q&As. This year they have brought  in Claire Denis, Juliette Binoche,Arnaud Desplechin, Mathieu Amalric & Vicky Krieps. As for the films, they may not be the best known films but more time than not they are the better films with a number of the films this year ending up on my Best of the Year lists.

Because of circumstances I have only seen a couple of films so I’m going to refrain from doing a recommended list since everything I’ve seen is good.

Reviews will start later in the week and  I’m hoping to catch up with a few more films during the festival.

For tickets and more information go here

Our Men (2021) Rendez Vous With French Cinema

This is the story of a squad of French Legionairres stationed in Mali. While they are out on patrol their loved ones are back home trying to pass the time and not go mad from boredom.

I suspect that some people are not going to like this film. It is not an action filled war film but a film which quietly focuses on the lives of the military families.  Its a film very much set on showing us what it's like being either a soldier or one of their loved ones and the complications that ensue. It is not an easy thing to either be a soldier or love one and this film shows us that. 

What is going to mess some people up is when the military is involved people tend to look for something bigger, OUR MEN desn't do that and instead focuses on the human story. When things happen the film cuts away to regular lie with the result we are forced to feel and process things differently than if the cross cut wasn't there.

I was moved

OUR MEN is an unexpected gem, that made me not only feel but truly consider the soldier family connection

Recommended