Actress Confessions

Day 555: Sundance 2012: Monsieur Lazhar receives Standing Ovation at Sundance – then nominated for Academy Award as Best Foreign Language Film

Sundance 2012: Monsieur Lazhar receives Standing Ovation at Sundance – then nominated for Academy Award as Best Foreign Language Film

Out of all the films I’ve screened so far here at Sundance, Monsieur Lazhar, written and directed by Philippe Falardeau is the only one that’s received a full standing ovation. To its merit, it was announced that it’s secured an Academy Award nomination for best foreign-language film.

We may have seen films about inspiring teachers, but this one is in a league of its own. It begins when 11 year-old student Simon (Émilien Néron) discovers his teacher Martine has committed suicide by hanging herself in the classroom. Simon’s classmate Alice (Sophie Nélisse) also witnesses the hanging lifeless body of their teacher, and they, as the rest of the students in their class, are traumatized by this event.

In enters Bachir Lazhar (Mohamed Fellag), who shows up at the school after hearing about this horrific event in the news and asks the principal for the job. He seems well qualified, with 19 years of teaching experience in his native Algeria. Unbeknownst to the principal, Bachir Lazhar is seeking asylum in Canada as a political refugee and is unable to legally work in. In desperation and with no replacements available the principal agrees to hire Lazhar.

As the story unfolds, many parallels develop between the students’ loss of their teacher, and Lazhar’s loss of his family that he left behind in Algeria to seek a better life abroad.

Falardeau also does and excellent job of directing each of the young actors in the film. “It was really impressive to see how sometimes the kids upstaged the adults,” said Falardeau.  “It’s a matter of taking time with the children at the auditions, if I see the kids for the first time, I just don’t see them for 5 minutes, we take 15 to 20 minutes to work with them and if we like them then we invite them back for a second audition.”

The young leads Néron and Nélisse are new actors, this being in their first role in any film. In my opinion both children leads acted like veteran actors, they have natural talent and, coupled by great direction, exude a fantastic performance.

This film will pull on your heartstrings. And it even though the film must eventually end, we know it’s nothing but a new beginning for all the characters, even though we’re not going to be around to figure out how their lives will unfold.

It is a beautiful piece of work by Falardeau. With the Academy Awards only weeks away, this film is a powerful and worthy contender for the Oscar.

 

Day 554 - Sundance 2012: CELESTE AND JESSE FOREVER: Romantic Comedy with a Twist

Sundance 2012: CELESTE AND JESSE FOREVER: Romantic Comedy with a Twist

PARK CITY — Celeste and Jessie Forever may sound like a romantic comedy, but this movie isn’t. It’s a story about a separated couple, Celeste (Rashida Jones) and Jessie (Andy Samburg) and the relationship between the two post break-up. Written by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack, the film is full of laughs and keeps the film light even in difficult situations.

Celeste is a power executive that is successful in every area in her life except for love. After being married to Jessie for a couple of years, they call it quits but decide to remain the best of friends, spending most of their time together like a married couple.  This angers their friends who can't seem to understand why they haven't moved on. So when Jeesie's friend convinces him to start dating again, that's when it starts to get complicated for Celeste and Jesse "friendship relationship".

Exploring the question, "Can you ever just be friends with your ex?", the audience is taken through a emotional rollercoster. Celeste is torn between finding love and fighting for the love she once had. Jesse has moved on, with another woman. As a result, Celeste's character journeys through a process of self-discovery finally balancing the person she is and the person that she wants to be - and figuring out what is important in a relationship and what is worth fighting for.

Pros - Jones plays Celeste perfectly and it’s a delight to see Samburg in a less comedic role. The relationship between Jones and Samburg is highly believable and just outright sweet.

Cons – The subplot of a young pop star (Emma Roberts) who leads Celeste to contemplate her actions towards others, could have been made stronger.

Celeste and Jesse Forever is a light film and you will enjoy the laughs from both Jones and Samburg.

Day 550 - 553 - Sundance 2012: COMPLIANCE: Shouting and Screaming after First Screening

Sundance 2012: COMPLIANCE

I didn't see it coming is the best way I can describe my screening of Compliance. It’s a story of the unexpected. What starts off innocently enough as relationship between the middle-aged fast food store manager Sandra and her young teenage employee turns into a psychological horror film, and takes the audience on an uncomfortable ride over the next two hours.  

A busy Friday night at a generic fast food joint in just another mid-western town takes a turn to the perverse as cop-pretending prank caller seizes psychological control over the employees and makes them do things most of us would think of as unimaginable.  Both the audience and I wanted to yell out at the characters on screen telling them to hang the phone up and make the mind-torture end, but it would not have made a difference.

The lead actress Dreama Walker tackled difficult scenes she did it seamlessly, although tragically. The store manager, Sandra (Ann Dowd) did a great job, her character had multi-levels and it was believable that she had been “taken”, by the prankster on the call. 

Although there are some lighter moments during the intro of the film it turned into nervous laughter as the movie progressed and entirely disappeared by the midway point onwards. It’s a 90 minute movie that keeps you on the edge of your seat, and securely uncomfortable. It’s not for everyone.

When the movie ended there were angry boos coming from a small set of the 500 viewers. Some individuals got up from their seats and began screaming things like “rape isn’t entertainment”, or that the movie was exploiting the natural beauty of the lead actress Dreama Walker to sell the film, one gentleman commented on liking seeing the lead actress naked.   The writer and director, Craig Zobel,  clammed up, the actors looked like they felt uncomfortable. The rest of the audience just let it happen – interesting that it’s exactly what the film was about.

I think everyone is going to have a strong opinion about this film, it’s one of those films that you are either going to think is brilliant or you are going to really hate – but you will have opinion, that’s for sure.