Film No. 18 (2023) March 14th. 11:00 AM LUNA LEEDERVILLE, Cinema 1, Leederville.
"It's not always easy, other people's children." (Ali continues to delay his approval to allow daughter Leila to meet Rachel).
WINNER: Best Actress (Virginie Efira), Lumiere Award; Editing (Geraldine Mangenot) Seville Film Festival.
Virginie Efira stars in LES ENFANTS, and for good reason. Her character, Rachel, is one of life's good people who can't seem to get the final pieces of her good life to date, to drop into place.
This affecting drama will no doubt strike a cord with many who have experienced similar frustrations in life. Director Rebecca Zlotowski (SAVAGES, GRAND CENTRAL) has created a film that may be close to home. There is such an intimacy to how she treats Rachel; her own life experience as a 40 something year old may shine through. Only Rebecca Z would know.
The two dimentionalness (no such word I know, but you know what I mean) with which Zlotowski treats the men of LES ENFANTS holds the key to her message. Rachel is attractive, full of life and in a hurry for true love, and a family. Ali (Roschdy Zem), a recently separated slightly older man falls for Rachel. For Rachel the relationship is soon less about Ali, and more about his 4 year old daughter Leila (Callie Ferreira-Goncalves). But Ali is controlling of Rachel's access to Leila. Rachel is fixated with being loved by Leila and her hope that this relationship is where her future lies.
It's a drama, so complications inevitably lie ahead. Along with all the choices Rachel makes comes Vincent (Henri-Noel Tabary and Dylan (Victor Lefebvre). These younger men are attracted to Rachel via her vivacious workplace personality. She's a gifted teacher and never closes the door completely on the adulation that is on offer. It has been a part of who she is.
It's a film to appeal mainly to women. It will strike a chord for some. Hopefully Rececca Z hasn't painted men with too dull a lustre. And so how does it all end? Quite brilliantly from where I was sitting. 10GUMS.
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