Cannes Day 9-10: A Gentle Creature, In The Fade, L'Amant Double
Friday, May 26, 2017 at 10:40AM Cannes wraps this weekend. Only one competition film, Lynne Ramsay's You Were Never Really Here, is yet to screen before the jury makes their decisions for the history books (er, what do we say now that the history books aren't how you look up history?).
Previously: Day 1, Days 2-4, Days 5-6, and Days 7-8
Fashion: French Divas and Kidmanifestations 1, 2, and 3
So let's check in with the four latest premieres including a new erotic thriller from François Ozon, a revenge drama from Fatih Akin, and a buzzy Robert Pattinson performance...
Good Time
A heist and prison break out genre movie involving two brothers, one mentally handicapped, from the Safdie brothers (Heaven Knows What). But is it, I apologize in advance, a good time? Robert Pattinson is winning strong reviews for his deglammed performance as the brains (of sorts) of the brothers crimes. (Tangential Q: Why do pretty actors always have to look awful before winning respect?)
Palme d'Or Contender? PROBABLY NOT... but might Pattinson be in the Best Actor running?
Reviews: Slant Magazine, Thrillist, The Telegraph
Release: August 11th from A24
Blown away by Loznitsa's A Gentle Creature. A jagged, roiling prison-town nightmare; Kafka's greatest hits as sung by Tom Waits #Cannes2017
— Xan Brooks (@XanBrooks) May 24, 2017
A Gentle Creature
Ukranian filmmaker Sergei Loznitsa (My Joy) has been making documentaries of late but he returns to fiction for this year's outing in this story about a woman trying to navigate the cruel Russian system and figure out why a package she mailed to her husband in prison was returned to her. If you've ever seen one of his features you know he's a potent and kind of merciless director.
Palme d'Or Contender? MAYBE BUT LEANING NO especially since they've already got one brutal Russian film in the running for the Palme (Loveless). How much severity will this jury embrace in their awards?
Reviews: Variety, The Guardian, RogerEbert.com
In the Fade - German woman goes for revenge after her family is killed in a bombing. Diane Kruger totally owns this role. The film is aces.
— Alex Billington (@firstshowing) May 26, 2017
In the Fade
Diane Kruger is winning strong reviews (the movie less so) as a woman facing off against far right extremism in the latest drama from reliably quality Turkish-German auteur Fatih Akin (Head-On, Edge of Heaven, Soul Kitchen).
Palme d'Or Contender? NO
Reviews: Hey U Guys, The Guardian, Time Out
François Ozon's L'AMANT DOUBLE is such a romp! Think Rosemary's Twin, with cats and pegging. Peak Jeremie Renier. High trash! #Cannes2017
— Caspar Salmon (@CasparSalmon) May 25, 2017
L'Amant Double
Prepare yourself François Ozon lovers. People are calling this one a "frisky" return to form. He didn't need a regular return to form post Frantz but something friskier is sure welcome given his early days as an auteur! This one is an erotic thriller about twin psychotherapists (underappreciated Jérémie Renier in a dual role) and his new client (Marianne Vacth from Ozon's Young and Beautiful).
Palme d'Or Contender? PROBABLY NOT... but if it's truly got camp "high trash" appeal, it is very easy to imagine that Pedro Almodóvar himself might love it. If so might it get some prize somewhere?
Reviews: (I'm personally not reading any of these reviews because thrillers are among the worst genres to read reviews of in terms of spoilers -- and casual skimming has already revealed the film's apparently most shocking image -- but your mileage may vary in regards to tolerance for spoilers) Variety, The Guardian, The Hollywood Reporter
Which of these four are you most eager to see?
Reader Comments (9)
Kruger is so underrated. How her career didn't take off after her greatness in Inglorious Basterds is beyond me.
Anonny -- my guess is that part of the problem is she's uneven. You can almost feel when she's bored in the thankless parts she often gets which is a big no no. But when she's "on" she's freaking amazing so yes, would love to see the career take off more.
You Were Never Really Here is a great title and Jérémie Renier is my husband.
I'm always up for an Ozon movie (recently saw Frantz and liked it quite a lot), and if In the Fade is half as good as The Edge of Heaven, we're in for a treat.
Oh, and Kruger? Yes indeedy. Her SAG nomination for Inglourious Basterds was one of my favourite things in the 2009 race.
Diane Kruger only care to act in Basterds and that Marie Antoinette movie in which she's kind of great. She's not overdue for anything. Thankless roles are not an excuse. Great actors play any role with dedication, or don't take the role.
L'Amant Double. I love Ozon and I'm eager to see anything he does. Plus, I'm glad Robert Pattinson is making a career for himself as he and Kristen Stewart pretty much found life after Twilight.
Why do pretty actors always have to look awful before winning respect?
Because there's no art involved capturing natural beauty. Whether nature or a person. God has already done the heavy lifting. The attractive are hired first and prioritized. While normals need chops to book work.
/3rtful - Sometimes the work done by "pretty" actors doesn't get awarded even when it's deserved. I've seen a lot of older actors get nominated for awards that just floated through awards season on a lazy performance that somehow got lots of love.
Brian - Those older performers floating through an award season on a lazy performance are getting their gold watch recognition for being a veteran. The sooner people learn these awards are a popularity and political contest and not a meritocracy the better.