|
Starring: Virginie Ledoyen, Benoît Magimel, Dominique Valadié, Véra Briole, Virginie Emane |
To buy this film:    More selected DVDs... |
| Summary | Critique | Credits | User comments | Film index |
|
Summary
Valérie meets up with her boyfriend Rémi in a Paris café to tell
him that she is pregnant and intends to keep the baby. Rémi, an unemployed
young man who lives with his parents, has nothing to offer Valérie, and the young
woman is uncertain whether to separate from him and start a new life alone. There
is not much time for discussion, because Valérie has to rush off to start her new
job as a chambermaid in a luxury hôtel. After a harrowing first morning in
her job, Valérie manages to join Rémi in her lunchtime break...
Critique
Despite its simplicity, La Fille seule is an extraordinarily compelling film, offering
a profound and revealing insight into the mind of a rebellious young woman who suddenly
finds herself saddled with the burden of motherhood. The film essentially consists
of an introductory and concluding discussion between the main protagonists Valérie
and Rémi, sandwiched around the bulk of the film, which is a quiet but visually
captivating portrait of Valérie’s first day at work. The film ends with a
short epilogue which takes place a few years after the main part of the film, principally
to show what Valérie decides to do to resolve the dilemmas she was seen struggling
with in the earlier part of the film.
Excluding the epilogue, the film takes place in real time, staying with the central character Valérie throughout, giving the impression that the spectator is following her around, developing a very deep rapport with the character. The reason why this is so effective (when it could so easily have resulted in tedium) arises from a combination of some great photography and an equally impressive performance from Virginie Ledoyen. The eloquence in the cinematography makes up for the lack of dialogue and the polished, claustrophobic interior of the hotel, inter-cut with rushed scenes in the kitchen, perfectly reflect the isolation and vulnerability of a young woman who has reached a crisis point in her life. Ledoyen’s performance is superlative, the actress managing to convey a range of conflicting emotions (often simultaneously) which gives her character so much depth and conviction that, by the end of the film, you really do feel that you have known her intimately for years.
La Fille seule offers a refreshing change from the bulk of contemporary cinema,
which is increasingly event-orientated. This film is the total opposite, unapologetically
character-centric, eschewing melodrama in favour of a more subtle approach, one which
actively engages the spectator. Benoît Jacquot’s approach may be unusual but
it is irresistibly alluring.
© James Travers 2000 Write a review for this film... User Comments
How do you rate this film?
|
Credits
Sponsored links
|
| Summary | Critique | Credits | User comments | Film index |
|
