No. 107. (2019) le VERITA (THE TRUTH). December 2nd.

Film No. 107 (2019) December 2nd.  6:40 PM  PALACE CINEMAS  Northbridge. 

"It's nothing, it is my daughter and her little family." (Fabienne comments on the arrival of her guests, come to be with her at the launch of her much awaited biography).

In this meeting of the heavyweights of French cinema (Deneuve V Binoche) the elder stateswoman takes the honours; with ease it must be said, and for good reason. The script revolves around Fabienne Dangeville (Catherine Deneuve), an aging actor living a life of such self indulgence that family, friends and employees wander around her pampering and hoodwinking her into the insecurities and comforts of her world.

Hirokazu Kore-eda takes on the challenge of another family drama after his Cannes winning, Shoplifters, of 2018. He has an effective but underwhelming style. We are left in no doubt as to where our thoughts and feelings should lie. But as the trailer might suggest, there is no strong powerhouse dramatic tension between daughter Lumir (Binoche) and mother (Deneuve). The true drama is in the tension that could have been. But then again it doesn't try to be anything other than a look into lives so very distant from the norm.

The star studded cast including Ethan Hawke as Lumir's husband Hank, a recovering alcoholic, plus the young Clementine Grenier as their daughter assist in propping up this pleasantly amusing feature. But it is most definitely no Deneuve/Binoche "act-off". 8GUMS.