MASCARADE/ MASQUERADE
France, 2022, 135 minutes, Colour.
Pierre Niney, Isabelle Adjani, François Cluzet, Marine Vacth, Emmanuelle Devos, Laura Morante, Charles Berling, James Wilby.
Directed by Nicholas Bedos.
No honour among thieves – a possible subtitle indicating the consequences of this masquerade.
This is quite a lavish production, set on the French Riviera, a lot of attractive visuals with the tourist touch, and an entry into the world of Riviera society. The film opens with a caption from British author, W. Somerset Maugham: The Riviera isn’t only a sunny place for shady people. However, as this complex drama continues, all we see, really, are shady people and some sinister interactions.
This film is very French, French sensibility. Had the same plot been made on the Italian Riviera or on the Spanish coast, there would have been all kinds of melodramatic verve. However, the French sensibility is far more controlled, making unlikeable characters continue to be unlikable.
But, for aficionados of French cinema, the film has a strong cast, veterans from the past, Isabelle Adjani, François Cluzet, Emmanuelle Devos, Charles Berling, Laura Morante. And, at the centre, two of France’s rising stars, Pierre Niney and a particularly striking Marine Vacth.
The audience has to keep paying attention to weave its way through the intricacies of the plot. There is the introduction to Adrien (Pierre Niney), dancer, injured in an accident, taking up the position of gigolo to seemingly faded star of stage and screen, played by Isabelle Adjani. Then, there is an episode at the star’s party, the seductive Margot (Marine Vacth) recklessly seducing Adrien. We also see them at an apartment, a knock at the door, a man with a gun, Margot being shot.
The film uses the device of a court case which continues throughout the whole film, all of the key characters giving testimony, interrogated, with a range of flashbacks giving their version of events, the rehabilitation of the star with a successful theatre performance, her tangled relationship with Adrien and her dependence on him, a real estate agent, François Cluzet, and his long relationship with his wife, Emmanuelle Devos, and, more scheming and seduction by Adrien and Margot. Margot is coached in her deceptive behaviour by hotel honour, Giulia, Laura Morante, and an expose of real estate and financial corruption along the Riviera.
Most of the characters behave badly. Very difficult to warm to them in any kind of sympathy. So, we observe the contradictions in their characters, their continued bad behaviour, some seemingly good behaviour, more and more steps towards destruction.
As a court case draws to a close, there are some unexpected twists as well as a great deal of hurt to most of the characters.
An eminent reviewer finished his review by saying that all this is fun to watch. Not necessarily.
