So this was Desplechin's first full length film.That makes sense to me because it is his most obtuse.After the first 20 minutes, the words I was using for my reaction to it were: 'strange' and 'too dark' (visually darker than any film I can remember seeing but not seeing). After I endured the film,my experience turned into a series of questions about why? where? who? what? and did I mention why? Palmiro, the author of the 'Spoilers' review helped explain a number of key things but questions are still rolling around at my feet.The acting was very good but everyone seemed disaffected and distant- from others, themselves, and their audience. By the end of the film, I just didn't care about any of them nor did I care about the political underpinnings of the story, or about the director for that matter.
But then I realized that the reason I wanted to see this-was because I was finally impressed by one of his works, 2009's A Christmas Tale, which I recently saw and would like to re-watch.
From my perspective(and I am a huge French film fan)the ennui of his characters and the obtuseness of his 'plots' just do not make for a worthwhile cinematic experience.Do go see A Christmas Tale but don't bother with any of his other works, including La Sentinelle.I hope that A Christmas Tale will be the first of his "later, GOOD films" !!
But then I realized that the reason I wanted to see this-was because I was finally impressed by one of his works, 2009's A Christmas Tale, which I recently saw and would like to re-watch.
From my perspective(and I am a huge French film fan)the ennui of his characters and the obtuseness of his 'plots' just do not make for a worthwhile cinematic experience.Do go see A Christmas Tale but don't bother with any of his other works, including La Sentinelle.I hope that A Christmas Tale will be the first of his "later, GOOD films" !!