Chanson douce (2019)
18KChanson douce (2019). 1h 40m | PG-13
“The nanny is par excellence evil: from u0026quot;the omenu0026quot; to u0026quot;the nanny u0026quot; to u0026quot;to the hand that rocks the cradleu0026quot; ,they are a nuisance to live with at home .u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eu0026quot;Chanson douce u0026quot; is actually closer to Claude Chabrolu0026#39;s u0026quot;la cérémonieu0026quot; ,based on Ruth Rendell u0026#39;s absorbing novel ,which had spawned another (Canadian) version before .nThe problem is that,not only Lucie Borteleau does not possess Chabrolu0026#39;s mastery ,but the main actress is left to her own devices ,with no other actor providing a credible counterpart :in u0026quot;la cérémonieu0026quot; ,servant Sandrine Bonnairenwas joined by green-grocer Huppert ,and both made a sensational pair.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eKarine Viard is the ONLY reason why you would see this movie through ;one of the best contemporary French actresses,everything rests on her shoulders ;everything! a very complex woman ,she makes the viewer think sheu0026#39;s irrational from her very first scene : sheu0026#39;s too perfect, too nice ,too madonna-like ,too devoted ; little by little ,cracks appear in the mirror: sheu0026#39;s so possessive she does not want HER children to play with the others in the park ; she urges the little girl to coax her parents into making a little baby; sometimes she may be almost frightening when she plays the wolf ;the actress is so gifted and so convincing one can wonder why her director felt compelled to introduce a u0026quot;monsteru0026quot; crawling out of the sink !Filler indeed and too facile!u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eUnfortunately ,the other characters are cardboard : mom is ,as it is often the case ,if we are to believe the screenwriters ,a lawyer ,and she and mainly her hubby are totally bland ; there could have been an interesting issue when the man screams :u0026quot;sheu0026#39;s our employeeu0026quot;,but the social relationship is only skimmed over ; the rich bourgeoisu0026#39;s wasting -Louise is absolutely right,as far as the yogourts are concerned- might have fitted the u0026quot;chanson douceu0026quot; concept.But grandma ,whose favorite pastime is to play the fool with her grandchildren (to infuriate the nanny?),it takes the biscuit!the actress is so unbearable itu0026#39;s a blessing her screen time is short.If it werenu0026#39;t for Viardu0026#39;s performance , the movie would be devoid of any dramatic progression and the ending would not make any sense (and would not justify the motheru0026#39;s misgivings in the first scene.)u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe novel on which the movie is based was awarded the Prix Goncourt 2016.nThe movie is not worth a Cesar but I give an extra star to the movie , dedicated to Miss Viard .”
