David O'ConnellRevenge of The Page Turner
June 3rd 2008 03:19
Denis Dercourt’s finely-tuned 2006 French drama is the story of a young girl's ultimate revenge against the woman who spurned her chance of a career in music, waiting patiently for many years to exact it.
In the first few scenes we see Melanie as a child (Julie Richalet), the daughter of humble butchers, and a devout student of the piano who is hoping to win a scholarship to a music academy. On the big day of her audition however, whilst performing before a group of judges, she is fatally distracted by one of them - the egocentric concert pianist, Ariane Fouchecourt (Catherine Frot) - who allows a fan to enter so she can sign an autograph. Melanie can’t recover, totally flubbing the rest of her performance and she forfeits her musical talent, consigning her piano to lock and key upon returning home, determined that her one and only chance has passed her by.
We then jump forward a few years to find Deborah Francois - star of the Dardenne brothers’ Palme D’Or winning The Child - playing Melanie as a young woman about to start an internship at a legal firm as a secretary’s assistant. She is attractive, though in a conservative, unglamourous way, obviously hoping to fit in and remain unobtrusive. She is also respectfully reserved in her communication, almost to the point of muteness, which should make everyone suspicious of her from the start!
It soon becomes clear that her employment here hides an ulterior motive when we discover that the head of the firm is none other than Jean Fouchecourt (Pascal Greggory), the husband of Ariane. Everything falls into place as her internship ends and she offers her services as a nanny for the couple’s young son whilst Mr. Fouchecourt is away on business.
The cool, calculating Melanie sets to work on the clueless Ariane, infiltrating her life with the ultimate goal of squaring the ledger for the perceived injustice of her childhood. Ariane is still performing as part of a concert trio but is psychologically scarred these days after a traumatic car crash a few years earlier. Another piece soons falls into place as Melanie becomes Ariane’s personal page-turner whilst she is on stage performing, a delicate but very important person to a concert pianist and soon Ariane becomes dependant on her.
The film plays out like any number of American films where the silliest of coincidences allows a convenient pathway for revenge, but Dercourt’s film is classier and less obvious than The Hand that Rocks the Cradle or over-the-top genre films of that ilk.
There’s great subtlety and refinement here in the way Melanie insinuates herself into Ariane’s life, cleverly plotting her way to a perfect payoff. There are no overblown set pieces, though one could argue the string of contrivances which allow for Melanie’s plan to be executed are just as silly and implausible as anything that American screenwriters could dream up!
Deborah Francois is an interesting performer, not really showing much range at all as the robotically methodical Melanie, though for some reason I still enjoyed watching her on screen. There’s something riveting about her cool and calculating demeanour as she remains in complete control of her emotions and actions all the way through. Catherine Frot has been a leading actress in France for many years now and again gives another solid performance as Ariane.
I really enjoyed this devious little psychological drama and it doesn’t outstay it’s welcome either at only 80 minutes. I probably wasn’t meant to be smiling through most of it but I must admit I was!
In the first few scenes we see Melanie as a child (Julie Richalet), the daughter of humble butchers, and a devout student of the piano who is hoping to win a scholarship to a music academy. On the big day of her audition however, whilst performing before a group of judges, she is fatally distracted by one of them - the egocentric concert pianist, Ariane Fouchecourt (Catherine Frot) - who allows a fan to enter so she can sign an autograph. Melanie can’t recover, totally flubbing the rest of her performance and she forfeits her musical talent, consigning her piano to lock and key upon returning home, determined that her one and only chance has passed her by.
We then jump forward a few years to find Deborah Francois - star of the Dardenne brothers’ Palme D’Or winning The Child - playing Melanie as a young woman about to start an internship at a legal firm as a secretary’s assistant. She is attractive, though in a conservative, unglamourous way, obviously hoping to fit in and remain unobtrusive. She is also respectfully reserved in her communication, almost to the point of muteness, which should make everyone suspicious of her from the start!
It soon becomes clear that her employment here hides an ulterior motive when we discover that the head of the firm is none other than Jean Fouchecourt (Pascal Greggory), the husband of Ariane. Everything falls into place as her internship ends and she offers her services as a nanny for the couple’s young son whilst Mr. Fouchecourt is away on business.
The cool, calculating Melanie sets to work on the clueless Ariane, infiltrating her life with the ultimate goal of squaring the ledger for the perceived injustice of her childhood. Ariane is still performing as part of a concert trio but is psychologically scarred these days after a traumatic car crash a few years earlier. Another piece soons falls into place as Melanie becomes Ariane’s personal page-turner whilst she is on stage performing, a delicate but very important person to a concert pianist and soon Ariane becomes dependant on her.
The film plays out like any number of American films where the silliest of coincidences allows a convenient pathway for revenge, but Dercourt’s film is classier and less obvious than The Hand that Rocks the Cradle or over-the-top genre films of that ilk.
The turning of the pages.......let the games begin!! (;
There’s great subtlety and refinement here in the way Melanie insinuates herself into Ariane’s life, cleverly plotting her way to a perfect payoff. There are no overblown set pieces, though one could argue the string of contrivances which allow for Melanie’s plan to be executed are just as silly and implausible as anything that American screenwriters could dream up!
Deborah Francois is an interesting performer, not really showing much range at all as the robotically methodical Melanie, though for some reason I still enjoyed watching her on screen. There’s something riveting about her cool and calculating demeanour as she remains in complete control of her emotions and actions all the way through. Catherine Frot has been a leading actress in France for many years now and again gives another solid performance as Ariane.
I really enjoyed this devious little psychological drama and it doesn’t outstay it’s welcome either at only 80 minutes. I probably wasn’t meant to be smiling through most of it but I must admit I was!
I wonder what this kiss could possibly mean!!??!!
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