Monsieur Hire
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Movie Reviews of Monsieur Hire
Movie Review: "All I do is look"
Summary: 4 Stars
It's been said that film, by its very nature, is a voyeuristic experience. We are, after all, not within the action itself; we're viewers who derive entertainment from the misery on screen, much like that of Schadenfreude. In "Monsieur Hire," we are, in a sense, voyeurs to a voyeur. As sexually-charged as the word may be, it is not sex that's at the forefront here, but rather the themes of aching loneliness and love, specifically the extent to which a person will go to assuage an emptiness that burrows deeply, as well as the injustices and alienation suffered by those who are merely different.
Monsieur Hire (Michel Blanc) is a loner who's hated by his neighbors and a constant target of pranks. An oddity who's avoided and gossiped about, he says only that the loathing stems from his refusal to socialize. (His full surname is Hirovitch. Could his being Jewish perhaps be the reason for the animosity? I don't know; I'm just guessing.) As reprieve from the dull routines of his tailoring business and the torment of his neighbors, M. Hire takes to watching a beautiful young woman in a flat across his. His nightly vigil consists of stoically watching her in the dark, fascinated by every movement she makes. It soon becomes clear that he's not motivated by perversion or prurience, but adoration that evolves into love.
Her name is Alice (Sandrine Bonnaire) and she accidentally discovers what M. Hire has been doing. Instead of reporting him to the police, she cultivates a relationship with him, and we are led to believe that Alice shares M. Hire's affections. But Alice is in love with a boyfriend who treats her shabbily and refuses to commit. When a murdered woman's body is discovered in the woods, M. Hire's neighbors single him out as the likely murderer despite the absence of evidence and motive. How his love for Alice is tested and how it ties in with the murder are best left unmentioned. Suffice to say that there's a clever twist to this story that takes one by surprise.
Based on a story by Belgian novelist Georges Simenon (creator of the Inspector Maigret series), "Monsieur Hire" is an understated and somber film that consistently refuses to provide easy answers. Instead, the viewer is forced to intuit, from one scene to the next, the feelings and motivations of its protagonists. The mystery or the whodunit seems only incidental to the narrative. I admire the film's artistry, from carefully set up shots that actually replace dialogue (in my opinion, much harder to achieve) to the smart script that slowly builds the story, luring me toward a startling end. However, despite the careful attention, I'm not sure I fully understood M. Hire and Alice to the degree I was meant to. Even now, as I'm recalling certain scenes, I'm not confident that I've interpreted them as they were intended and cannot determine if this was due to a failure on my part or the film's overall ambiguity. I'm straddling these two possibilities and giving it four stars.
(Language: French with English subtitles)
Movie Review: Another Winner For Leconte
Summary: 4 Stars
For a reviewer who likes great cinematography, nice colors and a pretty female face, this film offers all of the above for me.
Director Patrice Leconte usually makes stylish movies and this is no exception. It's beautiful to view. So is Sandrine Bonnaire, the leading lady. There are numerous closeups of her in this movie. This French film doesn't show much "skin," yet the film has an erotic appeal. That tells you something.
Michel Blanc, the male lead, plays a strange character but he's fascinating to watch, too. To be honest, the film has its slow moments but it is mesmerizing at times. The story is interesting overall and aided by two surprise twists at the end.
It's nice to see this film finally became available on DVD in Region 1 so this great photography could really be shown off. Too bad it's a little pricey.
Movie Review: Interesting low-keyed thriller
Summary: 4 Stars
Just short of a masterpiece, this is an interesting low-octane thriller that works as both an erotic whodunnit and study into the human psyche. LeConte is the master of nuance and though there's not a lot of story going on, the action takes place between silent moments and character restraint. Director LeConte has the gift of capturing human behavior and passion lyrically and poignantly; the film is often touching and rings utterly true. I don't think this could be translatedly effectively into an American film, and once again I tip my hat to the French for capturing the uncapturable. Later LeConte pushes the limits in the sumptious metaphor laden "The Girl On The Bridge", an absolutely stunning piece of work.Movie Review: Finally on DVD
Summary: 4 Stars
This is one of those great but little seen foreign films that I managed to catch on Laserdisc probably 15 years ago. Great that it's now out on DVD. Strange, different story, told well..good transfer, okay audio.
Movie Review: Watching Paint Dry
Summary: 1 Stars
To qoute Gene Hackman's character in the movie "Night Moves," watching this French movie is like "watching paint dry." Let me say that I have many French movies among my favorite all-time films: The 400 Blows, Jules and Jim, Amelie, Claire's Knee, and Cesar and Rosalie among them. But this film seems like the type of film, that if filmed by an American director, would be criticized for being obtuse, slow, and lacking clever dialogue and ideas. The whole film relies on--and therefore seems clever due to--the twist at the end of the movie, of which there is little if no foreshadowing provided. However, because it is a foreign film, it seems as if some viewers excuse such flaws. Paint drying, for sure! Disappointed that Roger Ebert liked this film. Maybe watching this movie on-line did it a disservice.
Night Moves
Day for Night
Amelie
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