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La Guerre à Paris
2002 Drama / War
Review
Yolande Zauberman’s third film comes after the controversial Clubbed
to Death (1996) and offers an unusual take on the World War II drama. The
story is a familiar one but, unusually for a historical drama, has an unnervingly modern
feel. This is achieved through the use of sets and costumes which would be familiar
to a modern cinema audience and the kind of camerawork which is best associated with avant-garde
contemporary film directors. To a certain degree, this does work to create
a connection with the spectator which a more traditional approach probably wouldn’t, and
it certainly adds bite to some of the film’s more shocking sequences. However, Zauberman
appears to have concentrated on style to the detriment of the film’s other aspects.
The narrative feels complacent and insubstantial, to the extent that it is hard for a
spectator to develop any kind of emotional involvement with the characters or their predicament.
This is in spite of some first class acting contributions, most notably from Jérémie
Renier, one of Europe’s most promising young actors. By contrast, Élodie
Bouchez’s performance is a huge disappointment – caricatured and unconvincing, serving
only to emphasise the lack of dramatic force in the awesomely naive script. Whilst
the film should be commended on its originality of style, its lack of narrative cohesion
and any substance prevents it from having any real impact.
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Director:
Yolande Zauberman
Starring: Élodie Bouchez, Jérémie Renier, Grégoire Colin, Julien Le Gallou, Jean-Pierre Léaud Synopsis
Paris 1943. Jules and Thomas are two brothers who couldn’t be more different.
Whilst Thomas, the younger brother, is eager to participate in his father’s resistance
adventures against the Nazis, Jules, 19, has no ideals, and no desire to get involved
in a lost cause. When the father narrowly escapes being arrested by the French police,
Jules is taken into custody. He is questioned by the young commissioner, Romain,
who offers him a deal. The police will protect Jules and his family providing Jules
gives them information about Spanish refugees. Jules can no longer stand on the
sidelines…
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