THINGS TO COME

Isabelle Huppert     Andre Marcon     Roman Kolinka     Sarah Le Picard     Solal Forte     Edith Scob

          This is a French film for thinkers—people who like to ponder questions about life, love, and wellbeing.  Nathalie (Huppert) is a philosophy teacher with a passion for her subject, which radiates out to her students, who revere her and even come close to loving her.  She speaks to their inner selves at a time when demonstrations and petitions are swirling around the campus.  One student in particular, Fabien (Kolinka) stops by her classroom after he has graduated to thank her for her guidance.

           We get glimpses of how Nathalie conducts her classes, in her posing questions such as, “Is truth debatable, as contrasted with belief?”  Or she gives them a Rousseau quote to think about and be prepared to discuss:  “If there were a nation of gods, it would govern itself democratically.  A government so perfect is not suited to men.”  This academic material in the film is always presented with different points of view, and refrains from claiming one side or the other is right. 

          Home is a different story, where Nathalie’s two teenage children tease her a bit about her intellectual connections, and her husband—who is also an intellectual, but much more dispassionate—is slightly scornful of her.  Their interactions are far from loving, and clearly bother the children.  It’s interesting that Chloe (LePicard) lets her father know that she and her brother are aware of his affair, and want him to tell their mother right away, which he does.  But what’s more interesting is that when he does tell her, she is stunned (they’ve been together for 25 years), and immediately asks why he didn’t keep it a secret from her.  After he lets her know he is moving out and she has time to process the information, then the anger appears. 

        However, this is not the usual tale of a man leaving his wife of many years.  Even though it is at a time when her children are leaving home, her dependent mother is dying, and her publisher is attempting to commercialize her work, Nathalie is resolute, and soon realizes that she is free—truly free—for the first time in her life.  What she makes of it is the main point of the film, along with a parallel theme of political issues the masterful writer/director Mia Hansen-Løve throws out for us to ponder.  She does it through Nathalie’s classes and through her relationships and conversations with the former student Fabien and his fellow provocateurs.  In these thought-provoking discussions, generational differences in perspective are apparent.  Upon being confronted by Fabien about her lifestyle not being guided by a “thought system”, Nathalie says, “I’m too old to be radical; I’ve done that, been there before.  I’ve changed.” Fabian’s girlfriend softly retorts, “But the world is the same, only worse.”  At another time, Nathalie explains more fully: “Revolution is not my goal.  Mine is more humble; it’s to help kids think for themselves.”

        Isabelle Huppert is her usual mix of coolness and mysteriousness in playing her character.  She has no trouble keeping us engaged with her as the main focus for almost the entire film.  She is backed up here by the fine, thoughtful script and astute direction of Mia Hansen-Løve.  The writer/director is the daughter of two philosophy teachers who talked about their work at home, so the insertion of deep philosophical questions into the dialog comes across naturally and authentically.  Music by Raphael Hamburger is delightful or sad, depending on the context, and Cinematography by Denis Lenoir is first-rate.

A quietly brilliant film about an older woman adapting to major changes in her life with humor and soft resolution.

Grade:  A                                    By Donna R. Copeland

MARGUERITE

Catherine Frot     Andre Marcon     Christa Theret     Michel Fau     Denis Mpunga     Sylvain Dieuaide     Aubert Fenoy

          Delusion is sometimes shared—even among a whole crowd of people—but it’s seldom  perpetuated in one individual by everyone around her, as in this film, Marguerite (performed expertly by Catherine Frot).  Marguerite’s husband, Georges (Marcon) is convinced that it would kill her to learn the truth—that is, that she sings noticeably off key.  And it’s astounding to see the lengths to which people will go to maintain her delusion.  (She does not appear to have any insight into her failing.)  Some are paid to flatter her, which is perhaps more understandable than when it’s done without recompense.  

           Marguerite is from a wealthy family and has married a baron, Georges.  She has a passion for music and says she sings 4-5 hours a day.  She seems to want mostly to please her husband, but somehow, his car is always breaking down and he arrives late to her concerts performed in their mansion.  At one point, some unscrupulous young men see an opportunity to exploit her, and arrange for her to sing in more public places and to engage a voice teacher (Fau) for her.  She is so flattered and touched by the attention, she seems to blossom, even though her voice gets no better.

          She becomes ill a couple of times, and Georges tactfully tries to get her to rest her voice and stop singing, but her doctor says that’s not necessary; however, this is before he hears her sing.  After the doctor attends a concert, he and Georges devise a plan that is supposed to convince her to stop performing.  However, it does not turn out exactly as they hope.

         French director Xavier Giannoli wrote the screenplay and directed this farce/drama that is taking place in the 1920’s.  It is well done, keeping its audience engaged—though antsy during Marguerite’s songs—and with a fine cast.  I think it would have been better if the bad singing had been made less pronounced; as it is, it’s rather absurd, especially since Marguerite recognizes good musical performances of others.  The film is based on a true story, but I doubt the real woman (Florence Foster Jenkins) sang this far off key. 

      Catherine Frot maintains a wide-eyed look and ebullient personality throughout, although she certainly has some thoughtful moments.  But she is basically an optimist who looks on the bright side of life.  Her faithful butler Madelbos (Mpunga) almost worships her and takes countless photos of her, but he too cannot resist hoping to realize a profit from the pictures one day.  Marcon shows his character to be genuine and mostly sincere and honorable; he just doesn’t seem to know what to do with the situation.

A farce about a woman of ambition who can’t hear herself singing off key.

Grade:  B                                   By Donna R. Copeland