Cannes Days 7-8: "The Beguiled" and "Rodin"
Wednesday, May 24, 2017 at 12:20PM Another day in May, more cheers and jeers for the competition films. Only five competition films are yet to screen: Fatih Akin's In the Fade (starring Diane Kruger), Good Time from the Safdie brothers, Sergei Loznita's A Gentle Creature, François Ozon's L'Amant Double (with two of his favorites Marine Vacth and Jérémie Renier), and Lynne Ramsay's You Were Never Really Here (starring Joaquin Phoenix).
Previously: Day 1, Days 2-4, and Days 5-6
And Don't Miss: Nicole in Cannes Pt 1 and Pt 2
So it looks like the frontrunners for the Palme d'Or, barring any of those five landing in a major way, are France's 120 Battements Par Minute, Sweden's The Square, or Russia's Loveless. But with Cannes and the mysteries of the group dynamics of juries, you never really know until the awards are announced. Pundits always forget that. People who assume that the Palme is a given for ___ are wrong nearly every year. That's half the fun.
Day 8 brings us one of the longshot possibilities for the Palme from the great Sofia Coppola...
Sofia Coppola knows how to toy & have fun w/ female gaze. I'm all giddy here w/ mischief. Grateful we have her. 🔥🤗 #TheBeguiled #Cannes70
— Tomris Laffly (@TomiLaffly) May 24, 2017
Sofia Coppola transforms The Beguiled from eager, lurid romp to witheringly elegant fuckboy takedown. Loved it. #Cannes70
— Robbie Collin (@robbiereviews) May 24, 2017
The Beguiled
Early response seemed pretty giddy but that appears to be the self-selecting critics I follow on twitter who happen to be at Cannes. Some mainstream media sites aren't loving. Two interesting consensus points forming: 1) Kirsten Dunst as the MVP (that role wasn't where the heat was in the original with the Geraldine Page role, Kidman's role now, stealing most of the movie's fire.) 2) that it's very funny. The original, while wholly watchable and psychosexually riveting, wasn't exactly funny or even fun.
Palme d'Or Contender? PROBABLY NOT BUT... what a sweet sight / revenge that'd be after the Marie Antoinette boos! Or, since we haven't been hearing about many performances setting Cannes on fire, could Kiki Dunst win her second Best Actress award?
Reviews: The Guardian, Independent, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, The Telegraph, Indie Wire
#Rodin is everything that is horrible about arthouse cinema. Indulgent, narcissist, without depth, ambivalence & stale. Ugh. #Cannes2017
— Beatrice Behn (@DansLeCinema) May 23, 2017
Rodin
Jacques Doillon, whose most famous film remains the childhood grief drama Ponette (1996), returns with a heavily fictional biopic about the famous sculptor. Vincent Lindon, who won Best Actor at Cannes just two years ago with The Measure of a Man plays Rodin. But critics are not having this one. A lot of vicious responses.
Palme d'Or Contender? NO WAY
Reviews: The Guardian, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety
RADIANCE (Kawase): earnest, gentle and conceptually exciting. many interesting and strong moments, but the execution isn't always successful
— Ioannis Kanonakis (@Cinefeeling) May 24, 2017
RADIANCE (Kawase): Someday I'll add up all the hours I've wasted on Kawase and weep quietly on my death bed. #Cannes2017
— Jordan Cronk (@JordanCronk) May 23, 2017
Radiance
A film about a young woman who writes audio descriptions of films for the visually impraied and the photographer, losing his sight, who she becomes involved with. Responses to the new Naomi Kawasi are all over the place but even the positive responses seem to judge it sentimental or sappy. One minor note that might be major, though: The audience reportedly really liked it, two standing ovations or something (?), which means this might be one of those critical/industry divides as we saw with Xavier Dolan's It's Only the End of the World last year which critics disliked but founds fans within the industry and even won a major jury prize. Like Dolan, Kawase is a Cannes darling who started winning prizes with her very first film.
Palme d'Or Contender? PROBABLY NOT
Reviews: Variety, Evening Standard, Filmoria
Reader Comments (34)
Beguiled looks like yet another flop for Nicole. Her fake hair and smooth face came out of a box and syringe.
If Kiki is a winner again surely this helps her Oscar wise,I must say Elizabeth Hartman is fantastic in the original but Page rules the film.
Mungiu and Assayas shared last year's Director prize. Dolan won Grand Prix, the second place.
Way to judge the film on what's important Tom. Is your last name Cruise perchance?
I know I'm a minority, but the Kidman Supremacy bores me. I would have preferred two in Cannes and two in Venice or any other variation you can think of.
People -- Kidman is mentioned in passing ONCE in this article. There are other things to discuss. We're not oppressing you with Kidman this morning :)
The knee-jerk Kidman hate is so Yawn.
Peggy Sue I don't think Nicole has any control over which films she is in get selected to compete at the festival, it just happens that she has 4 this year.
Rami -- I'm well aware of that
I am so sick of these Nicole posts! Are any of her movies at Cannes worthwhile? Doubtful
Killing Of A Sacred Deer is at 92% with an 8.3 average on Rotten Tomatoes. 12 reviews counted.
The Beguiled is currently on 77% with a 7.6 average on Rotten Tomatoes. 13 reviews counted.
No tomatometer score yet for Top Of The Lake: China Girl, but the mostly strong positive reviews suggest it'll fall somewhere in the 80 or low 90 percentile when all is said and done.
How To Talk To Girls At Parties is at 18% on Rotten Tomatoes with 11 reviews counted.
Of Kidman's 4 Cannes project, How To Talk To Girls At Parties is the only one that can be currently considered a critical dud. It may rebound and get better reviews on release, as it sounds like a lightweight comedy that might fare better outside of a festival setting.
But Kidman has pretty much crushed it with all her other projects, getting great reviews for her performances as well. Anyone hoping the "year of Kidman" would come to a screeching halt with panned Cannes projects is out of luck. She's pretty much gone 3/4. It's looking like it might be one of the great career years for any actor, when you add Big Little Lies into the equation (won't count Lion, even though the Oscar nod came this year, it was still a 2016 release).
Was The Tree of Life a front-runner in 2011? I remember that one being a VERY divisive one at Cannes and still won the Palm d'Ore.
I can't believe people are complaining because TFE is covering the premiere of a new feminist thriller directed by Sofia Coppola at Cannes. Yes, the Kidman fawning on this site can be exhausting occasionally, but this is not an example of that. Nat's recap of the film even says that another actress seems to be best-in-show!
Is this site suddenly attracting Daily Mail readers or something? Or publicists for other actresses looking for an awards season run?
This sudden distaste (by a few) for talking about Kidman on a site dedicated readers know she"s considered an icon seems a bit contrived, not to mention the flop/botox putdowns like it's 2008 again.
Don't get intimidated Nathaniel.The vast majority of your longtime readers enjoy being oppressed with posts about Kidman, Cate Blanchett and so forth.
I'll never understand why people will go out of their way to complain about things on someone's site. If it bores or doesn't interest you, simply skip it and move on. Anyway, the original movie was on an HIBO this weekend. Lawd, the early 70s. Reminded me of a slightly (emphasis on slightly) less depraved Mandingo. Oddly enough, it could've used a bit more sex. Eastwood has his nice manly presence, but it would've been interesting to see what could've been with an actor willing to go a bit more overtly sexual. Think Perry Jones, letting it all out in Mandingo (I have referenced Mandingo twice and am now shamed...)
After seeing the original I wondered where Coppola might go with her version. I was certain she wouldn't do something that mirrored the original too closely, but I am surprised to hear that her version turns up the humor. The camp potential is definitely there in the material. Even with some of the middling reviews I even more intrigued now.
I don't think it's a consensus that Dunst is the MVP. I've definitely read a couple of reviews singling out Kidman. But it's pretty much Dunst and Kidman getting the standout notices.
Some say Farrell is good, others say he"s overshadowed by the two ladies. Fanning doesn't get much ink.
No more on Nicole!
Ideal scenario- Dunst wins best actress again,gets nominated for an oscar and is in the next pedro almodovar movie.
Wishful thinking.
France's media considered Kidman the Mvp of the movie, and barrely mentioned Dunst.
By the way, forget the haters, I love when you talk about Kidman.
She made many flops, but Contrary to many other actresses, her choices are always bold. I mean I love and whorship Meryl Streep, and some others but they always play it safe. When did Streep take a risk ?
Jude & Jemz -- don't worry. I cannot be intimidated when it comes to expressing my love for actresses. I've done it my whole life even before becoming a critic and blogger. My dad once made a rule that i was not allowed to discuss movies at the dinner table. Needless to say that only made me more determined to talk movies constantly. :)
Nathaniel likes Kidman, most of us like Kidman. She has 4 films in the Festival. We have to talk about her.
I have read Nat's site for many years and I contribute to its maintenance mainly because I want to keep up with what is going on in cinema and I am able to understand Nat's point of view and almost always agree with it. Accept, debate, enrich your knowledge and have fun.
What's with the hate on Kidman?? Nobody here has seen any of these films so please , hold the hate until you do.
Zendo, they still sound like dogs to me. I am not into the Nicole frozen face / opaque acting style but I know she has her fans.
Streep and Lawrence are fawned over in Hollywood and these here e-streets. So Kidman love for you complainers can eat a rodent's rod.
Eva....I think people who read this site know exactly what's going on in Cannes with Kidman"s projects. She"s the talk of the festival. It's hard to miss.
Her fans are excited because the reception of most of her projects (+ Big Little Lies and her oscar nomination for Lion) pretty much confirm Kidman is back to being considered one of the 2 or 3 most pre-eminent actresses working. It's basically like her career has been reset to 2001-2004 again. But she"s older and wiser and unlikely to make the same mistakes (too much botox, mainstream clunkers like Stepford Wives and Bewitched) that caused her to become passe to many in the mainstream (even when she still did great work). As one of her directors at Cannes said, she"s suddenly cool again and being treated as a National treasure.
Her haters are probably bothered for the same reason. No one saw a return to prominence of this magnitude coming, especially at the age of 50. For an actress to have a second career peak at her age is almost unheard of. People thought it was safe to consider her as an aging actress, past the peak of her stardom, but she looks capable now of maintaining an A-list career for as long as someone like Streep. She"s a legitimate threat to being widely considered the greatest actress working again, and that kind of attention will always piss some people off, especially if their own fave might be considered a rival.
The Beguiled holds 75 percent on RT - but if you read the reviews in full you get a sense of a very slight movie - even the positive reviews are saying that though it's handsomely made, it's very slight and inconsequential - and that Coppola doesn't succeed in creating tension or danger.
I don't think it's disaster - but it's not a great movie either, going by the reviews.
"The great Sofia Coppola" you say, Nathaniel.
I don't know anymore - she's made 3 great movies, but the last one was 11 years ago. And Somewhere and Bling Ring are pretty much worthless.
And then she does a frickin' remake of a really solid movie - why?!?
I can't imagine Dunst is the MVP - every line reading of hers sounds completely off in the trailer.
I loved Bling Ring, it was definitely a film ahead of it's time!
I echo Zendo except the "2-3" part. If you take away me, Meryl, Marion, Cate, Helen, Tilda, Julianne, Judi and Viola, there is really not a lot of room at our table.
BVR, I don't think Tree of Life was that divisive. Though that Cannes got hijacked by Von-Trier's Hitler comments.
I've loved Nicole since seeing her in 1992's Far and Away! I've been a fan of Nathaniel's site since the beginning. The Oscar Charts and love of all actresses especially Nicole are the main reasons I visit several times a week. Oh and if that's really you Jessica Chastain you have become a new fave of mine or the past 5 or 6 years. It's a ginger thing :)
Kiki!
Ulrich -- if you agree that she's made 3 great movies when she's only ever made 6 movies, one of which we haven't yet seen, it seems odd to dispute that she's great. 3 out of 5?.. most directors would kill to have that good a record for greatness. I also think BLING RING is better than its reputation. The only one of her films that I think is kinda weak is SOMEWHERE and even that one has its moments.
Jemz, people can be tired of Kidman without being ewcomers or Daily Mail readers for goodness sake. This site has always overhyped her and her every project so it's only natural for people get tired of it like with all overrated things are in danger if a blackflash and that is the risk you have to deal with when hoping someone gets showed more love. I am not one of the people who have felt the need to complain but still share the feelings and you should undertand why people are tried. Just because this once Kidman has some wortwhile work it wont make people forget those times she did not yet she was hyped here.
I just don't understand all the Nicole-bashing. I mean she's been on a great rebound since Big Little Lies - why can't we be happy for her? I'm no big fan but I admire her risk-taking and some of her endearing performances like in Paperboy and Moulin Rouge. And I celebrate her return to form (after a string of misses and bad choices).
When I was watching Wizard of Lies, I squealed with delight at Pfeiffer's first sentence dragging the second syllable in 'Alrrright'. Again, I'm no big fan but when it's a good performance, let us acknowledge it (or remain neutral if you don't like the actress for some
reason). Btw, it's so good to see Michelle in that show...she did so much with little given to her role in my opinion.
Chinoserie: You sort of make my point for me. You say this site has always hyped Kidman. That's part of the deal with this site. It's like going to a speciality restaurant that specialises in oysters and saying you don't like oysters. This is not an impartial journalism site.It"s not the BBC. It"s a blog owned by a guy who loves actresses, and Kidman happens to be one of his favorite actresses. Whining about the owner of an opinion blog talking about his passions that have been the foundation of the site strikes me as ungrateful and arrogant. Those who don't like it can start their own blogs and talk about whomever and whatever they want, or frequent a blog more in tune with their vibe. This blog has a lot of Kidman fans in part because the head honcho is Kidman fan.
As for the rest....who gives a shit. Kidman has faced backlashes for half her career. She"s been called overrated for much of her career. She"s been celebrated, ridiculed and back again.And she"s still here and thriving. Kidman and her fans are used to it, so when she"s having one of her moments in the Sun, her supporters will celebrate, regardless of if her non-fans enjoy it. If people decide they Don't like her again, that's up to them. But she"s used to it and keeps on going. That's why she"s Nicole Kidman.