WHO YOU THINK I AM/ CELLE QUE VOUS CROYEZ

France, 2019, 101 minutes, Colour.
Juliette Binoche, Nicole Garcia, François Civil, Guillaume Gouix.
Directed by Safy Nebbou.

Juliette Binoche has made a number of films about women in midlife crisis. This was true of Claire Denis’s Let the Sunshine In where the central character drifts from one relationship to another – and, finally, consults a clairvoyant played by Gerard Depardieu, a strange 15 minutes conclusion to the film as she listens patiently, absorbing his advice which does not sound particularly insightful or helpful.

In fact, it is a pity that she did not consult the psychologist in this film, a sensible woman played by Nicole Garcia, seen attentively listening and not trying to influence her client with ideas or modes of behaviour.

This time Juliette Binoche is an academic, separated from her husband, in a relationship with a younger man who is rather casual while she is much smitten with him. When she tries to contact him by phone, she encounters his associate who behaves in a dismissive manner. She is upset, does some research on him, that he is a photographer and that he is travelling with her lover.

The gist of the film is that she sets up a character online and communicates with the photographer, sending photos of her niece, creating a young character, a model. He falls for the attractive character online and they began a correspondence. Both of them become rather obsessed. (There is a surprising twist about the niece at the end.)

The question is will she tell him the truth, what will be his response?

The woman is actually recounting her story to the psychologist, building up through flashbacks – and, eventually, with several possible solutions which are also dramatised, including the young man’s disillusionment and suicide, including the woman’s becoming more infatuated and beginning a new and direct relationship with the young man without revealing who she is, or the young man not dying, the former lover having lied about this, and his marrying and having a family.

So, the question is not just to the woman who she thinks she is but who other people think she is.

1. A story of a woman’s middle-age crisis? Her obsession? Consultation with a psychologist?

2. The city setting, apartments, university lecture halls, psychologists office? The various scenes around the city? Authentic – but for fantasy? The musical score?

3. The title, issues of identity, Claire and her creating a new identity on social media, the experience, the consequences?

4. Juliette Binoche as Claire, a woman of 50, the decades of marriage, her husband walking out on her for a younger woman, her being hurt, her two boys and the distance in her relationship with them, their responses to her, at home, with their father, the meals, the football match?

5. The visit to the psychologist, the new doctor, her having to start again, the doctor and her silences, listening? Refusing to be manipulated by Claire, no personal revelations by the doctor? The range of the visits over time? Claire, wanting to tell her story, yet restricting the information? The range of the interviews and Claire’s gradually telling the story?

6. The relationship with Ludo, sexual, his seeming indifference, leaving her? Desperation, his insensitivity? The phone call, Alex on the phone, playing games and hanging up? Her curiosity about Alex? The decision to get some revenge on Ludo and Alex? The decision to set up the page, her name, age, her niece’s photos and videos? Her enjoying playing the game, Alex and his response, becoming further involved, the intimacy of his text messages, the voices on the phone? The growing effect on Claire and her becoming more involved? Making up stories, the fashion, model, her behaviour, eventual relationship with a fiance, consent to marry?

7. Alex, photographer, young, earnest, caught up by the persona on social media, becoming more involved, conversations, intimacy? His travelling to Goa?

8. Claire explaining the story to the psychologist? Eventually writing the book, giving it to the psychologist to read?

9. The narrative of the film, moving towards fantasy? Alex, his return, wanting to meet Claire, her presence at the rendezvous, his searching for his imagined Clara? Her saying she was marrying, going to Brazil? Claire and her meeting with Ludo, his explaining Alex’s death, driving over a cliff? Claire being distraught?

10. Claire, her feelings of guilt and responsibility? Her creating a different story, meeting Alex, making the Ludo connection, their sharing, his photographing her, falling in love with her, her response? Happy? Claire and her setting up for Alex to have the meeting with Clara, his finding the phone, realising her identity, his return to the cafe, her backing out onto the street and her being knocked out? The finale to her story?

11. The psychologist and commenting on her punishing herself even in the story? The question of why she was so angry and reacting? The revelation that Clara was her niece, the liaison with her husband? The resentment that Clara had taken over her life?

12. The psychologist, meeting Ludo, hearing the truth about Alex, marrying, having a child?

13. Claire, the experience as a kind of exorcism, the continuing to work on the manuscript, her imagination, solving her problems and resentments?