LET THE SUNSHINE IN/ UN BEAU SOLEIL INTERIEURE


Juliette Binoche, Xavier Beauvois, Josiane Balasko, Nicolas Duvauchelle, Laurent Grevil , Bruno Polydades, Gerard Depardieu, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi.
Directed by Claire Denis.

This is very much a French story geared towards a French audience, its sensibilities about relationships, women, middle-age, searching. It is very much a talk and discussion, conversation film. (This reviewer was taken by the comment by Sandra Hall in the Fairfax Press, that the central character, Juliette Binoche’s Isabelle, inhabits her talk but not her life.)

Juliette Binoche, of course, is one of France’s, even the world’s, best female actors. Here she is a divorced middle-age woman with a 10-year-old daughter. We see her in a variety of relationships, we and she wondering whether they could be called love. The opening sets the tone, her relationship with a rather gross banker, Vincent, not enhanced by his aggressive attitude towards a waiter. We also see her flirting with an actor, his playing the game, talking about his own relationships, then their moving into a temporary relationship. There are several other men, finally a man about town, Sylvain, with whom she is initially comfortable but then she asks, where to?

Isabelle is also an artist and the screenplay, by noted director Claire Denis, somewhat based on her own experiences and those of her co-writer, Christine Angot, is also loosely based on the book by Roland Barthes, A Lover’s Discourse: Fragments.

Isabelle moves in her own society, has a number of friends who offer advice, act as sounding boards. And she also has the 10-year-old daughter who is concerned about her mother. Isabelle has another meeting with her former husband, spending the night, but this relationship does not last either.

So, a film of a middle-age woman searching for relationships and love (and as a song notes “in all the wrong places�).

The final 15 minutes are a bit taxing. In fact, Isabelle consults a clairvoyant played by Gerard Depardieu of all people. It is very much all talk, his talking, prognosticating about her future, and Isabelle sitting there as if he might be infallible in his observations and suggestions.

Then, wondering about the title and whether it is somewhat ironic? What sunshine? And where does it, or could it, come in?

1. A French film? Director, writer, the book by Roland Barnett? The cast?

2. Appreciation of the film in France? By French-speaking audiences? Beyond friends? Sensibilities and sensitivities? Perspectives on women, age, relationships? Marriage, family and children? Career? Out? Midlife search and experiments?

3. Paris, the city settings, homes and apartments, the art world, social life and restaurants? The interview with the clairvoyant? 21st-century city? The musical score?

4. The title, Isabelle, her age, her art, her career? Separation from her husband? Yet friendship with him? Spending the night with him but not remaining with him? The concerned about her daughter, her age? The daughter’s saying her mother cried during the night? The opening with Vincent, the banker, her disdain of him? The encounter with the actor, flirting, conversations, the night? Leaving him? Her friendship with the grease and his advice? The encounter with Sylvain? His character, her retraction, their time together, outings, dancing? And leaving him? Where to?

5. The men, interesting? Not? Attracted? Not? Vincent the married banker, the flabby man, his aggression towards the waiter? The actor, performance, his friends, the circle? The conversation, flirting? The relationship, not lasting? Her husband and his personality? Isabelle not remaining with him? The character of Sylvain, the tractable not? In himself?

6. Isabelle and her women friends, the characters, advice, the meetings and discussions?

7. Isabelle and her search, dissatisfaction, depression? The effect of moving on? Continual search?

8. The conversation with the clairvoyant, Gerard Depardieu, 15 minutes, his speculations, her attention – and his simply telling her and expecting her to follow…?

9. The critic comment that Isabelle inhabited her talk but not her life?