La Jalousie
06/02/16 Filed in: Amazon Prime
Today's Amazon Prime film was a bit more challenging than the comedy I reported on yesterday.
Set in Paris, and filmed in extremely contrasty black and white, I believe it fits the genre referred to as New Wave.
It begins with Louis leaving his partner, Clothilde, with whom he has a daughter, Charlotte, to start a new relationship with Claudia. He and Claudia are both actors, although Claudia isn't working and is somewhat depressed because of this. They live in a garret, which while may sound very romantic, is actually depressing for Claudia who wants something better. Louis says he loves Claudia and can't live without her, although this doesn't stop him flirting with a woman at the theatre where he is working, nor with a woman in the cinema. Meanwhile Claudia seems even less interested in a monogamous relationship, casually picking someone up in a bar.
The film's title is fitting, as Clothilde is jealous, for obvious reasons, while both Louis and Claudia exhibit feelings of jealousy, each it seems suspecting the other of infidelity. That was my reading of the situation but I may have got it wrong.
Set in Paris, and filmed in extremely contrasty black and white, I believe it fits the genre referred to as New Wave.
It begins with Louis leaving his partner, Clothilde, with whom he has a daughter, Charlotte, to start a new relationship with Claudia. He and Claudia are both actors, although Claudia isn't working and is somewhat depressed because of this. They live in a garret, which while may sound very romantic, is actually depressing for Claudia who wants something better. Louis says he loves Claudia and can't live without her, although this doesn't stop him flirting with a woman at the theatre where he is working, nor with a woman in the cinema. Meanwhile Claudia seems even less interested in a monogamous relationship, casually picking someone up in a bar.
The film's title is fitting, as Clothilde is jealous, for obvious reasons, while both Louis and Claudia exhibit feelings of jealousy, each it seems suspecting the other of infidelity. That was my reading of the situation but I may have got it wrong.
The little girl, Charlotte, adds some innocence to what is otherwise quite a sombre film. She is, indeed, quite charming.
The ending is not much easier to fathom than the rest of the film. Claudia meets another man who sets her up in an apartment as, I suspect, a mistress. She is happy for Louis to join her there, but the jealousy kicks in again as Louis cannot accept that she's seeing somebody else. Louis reacts dramatically, but to no avail, and before the credits roll we see him with his daughter, and his sister, sitting in the park; a park he used to visit with Claudia.
You will need to appreciate French art house movies to enjoy this one.
The ending is not much easier to fathom than the rest of the film. Claudia meets another man who sets her up in an apartment as, I suspect, a mistress. She is happy for Louis to join her there, but the jealousy kicks in again as Louis cannot accept that she's seeing somebody else. Louis reacts dramatically, but to no avail, and before the credits roll we see him with his daughter, and his sister, sitting in the park; a park he used to visit with Claudia.
You will need to appreciate French art house movies to enjoy this one.