Movie No. 55 (2015): CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA
Clouds of Sils Maria (2015)
Director: Olivier Assayas
Cast: Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart
This feminist character study is centered on the professional relationship between a successful international actress (Maria Enders) and her personal assistant (Val). While in transit to Sils Maria, where Maria Enders is to accept an award on behalf of the director who made her famous twenty years ago in a play called "Maloja Snake," they receive the news that the director has just died. Now, Maria Enders is asked to be cast in the revival of the play. In the original production she was Sigrid, young woman who drove her boss Helena to suicide. In the revival, Maria Enders will play Helena. This is what drives the narrative, which flow like the "snake," which is a cloud formation that creeps over the valley of Sils Maria on certain occasions. The hesitation of Maria to do the revival, the rehearsals that somehow mirror the relationship between Maria and Val, and Maria's disdain over (or identifying with) the young but controversial Hollywood starlet who will play Sigrid are driving forces of the flow of the narrative.
The movie is charged with strong performances. While Juliette Binoche as Maria Enders has always been reliable to tackle complex and layered character, Kristen Stewart as Val is surprisingly good.
Some may find this movie talky. In my opinion, this may be the technique used (i.e., effective writing) to get a closer look at the characters and their back stories. It worked for me.
Rating: 4.0/4.0
Date seen: October 8, 2015
Director: Olivier Assayas
Cast: Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart
This feminist character study is centered on the professional relationship between a successful international actress (Maria Enders) and her personal assistant (Val). While in transit to Sils Maria, where Maria Enders is to accept an award on behalf of the director who made her famous twenty years ago in a play called "Maloja Snake," they receive the news that the director has just died. Now, Maria Enders is asked to be cast in the revival of the play. In the original production she was Sigrid, young woman who drove her boss Helena to suicide. In the revival, Maria Enders will play Helena. This is what drives the narrative, which flow like the "snake," which is a cloud formation that creeps over the valley of Sils Maria on certain occasions. The hesitation of Maria to do the revival, the rehearsals that somehow mirror the relationship between Maria and Val, and Maria's disdain over (or identifying with) the young but controversial Hollywood starlet who will play Sigrid are driving forces of the flow of the narrative.The movie is charged with strong performances. While Juliette Binoche as Maria Enders has always been reliable to tackle complex and layered character, Kristen Stewart as Val is surprisingly good.
Some may find this movie talky. In my opinion, this may be the technique used (i.e., effective writing) to get a closer look at the characters and their back stories. It worked for me.
Rating: 4.0/4.0
Date seen: October 8, 2015
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