noralee
"Alice and Martin (Alice et Martin)" is the anti-Hollywood relationship movie of the summer. (It's French so you have to say it like you went to National Lampoon's famous School of ze French Akzent: "a-LEES ay mar-TAHN"). Act 1 gives you background on Martin growing up, yeah you think as you get restless, the usual dysfunctional family, the usual fights with dad, so he ends up in the big city.Act 2 is the usual couple in the Big City (in this case, of course Paris) and quite a few people in the audience yawned quite loudly. There's a few sophisticated touches -- she's pals with gay guys, he falls into being a fashion model for the easy money (and the metaphor for his blankness) so there's arguments about commercialism. This is my first Andre Techine film so I don't know if the crucial Act 3 is unusual, even though the central plot development was not a complete surprise. So many Hollywood "meet cute, fall into bed, fight then realize they're made for each other" movies have the couple existing in a bubble, separate from family or the sources of how they got to be like they are. Here coming to terms with their souls means coming to terms with their family and seeing through all the implications. So there's a bit of a gimmick in cutting back and forth with flashbacks to reveal background to us, but it's done sort of like an amnesia victim gradually remembering.Juliette Binoche really rises to the Act 3; I wasn't all that impressed with her in "The English Patient" but she's gut-wrenching here, going through very complex emotions--and nice non-Hollywood touch that she's the older of the pair.If Hollywood were to remake this movie, they'd cut to the last 10 minutes, and turn it into a courtroom drama where the heroic defense lawyer goes around interviewing everyone to get to "the truth," but coming to peace with yourself is not something that litigation can solve, and Binoche's face shows that.Nice repeat use of Jeff Buckley song. (originally written 9/3/2000)
valadas
It's not exactly what we might call a bad movie but this story of the young illegitimate son who kills his father somewhat involuntarily during a fight and for that reason becomes neurotic since the fact was hushed up by the family to avoid a scandal, is rather weak and banal. The best part of the movie are the characters themselves and the acting of those who play the respective roles who do their best to make the story more impressive than it is in itself and not to appear as too stereotyped themselves. Special prominence must be given to the great Juliette Binoche who plays her role in a wonderful way. Her extremely attractive face, the gentleness of her expressions and the strength of her acting are unforgettable. The cut doesn't help either since its rhythm is also banal and uninteresting. The flash-back introduced in the middle does nothing to add anything valuable to the movie in terms of form and style. Its story could be told in the normal chronological sequence maybe with advantage. But to see Juliette Binoche in one of her best performances it's perhaps worth to go and see this movie.
tmeyer
I'm a big Binoche fan but could not have been more disappointed with this film. There is little or no justification given for the demonization of Martin's father and the flat, bland relationship between Alice & Martin leaves one wondering why they'd stay together in the first place. Sure, Techine wants us to think Martin's father was a harsh on his illegitimate son but there's little or no supporting evidence. Standing in the rain, big deal. Punishing him for pretending to be sick. Ho hum. This reminded me of Bresson's "The Devil, Probably" as I really didn't give a damn about any of the characters or why they were in such supposed anguish. Speaking of anguish, you would think Martin's mother would have felt a little remorse about the consequences of her fateful decision (after all, Martin was happy w/ her and didn't want to go) but she didn't seem care about him anyways. In the end, I didn't either.
ygee
I have seen this movie in a preview during the French week of Munich universities. Thank god, I didn't have to pay for it. This is a movie which could have been shot during the late sixties, early seventies and it's is not a classic, it's dusty.The plot is unbelievably boring, the actors do their very best to save the film from bad camera, directing and cuts. Juliette Binoche shines like a single star in an otherwise growse movie. Whoever wrote the script, he had absolutely no idea what drama or conflict is about. There is a single witty scene in this movie, when Alice tells Martin that she thought about his wooing and yes, she would like to sleep with him. He freezes, then panicly locks up the door and turns off the light before undressing her. Afterwards, he explains is behaviour with the sentence: "I wanted to do it, before you change opinion again."You don't think it's good? Beware, it is the only good scene in the movie. You think that's good? Now you know it, you don't have to see the film.Before I get flamed by the connoisseurs, yes I do like good French movies, but this movie surely isn't one. No I am no Hollywood fanatic, but this film deserved more of everything.If you want to see an excellent non-Hollywood drama, which shows you what tragedy is about, try Wintersleepers by Tom Tykwer...I warned you! 1/10 (1 for Juliette Binoche participating)
AD
