CLEAN
France, 2004, 110 minutes, Colour.
Maggie Cheung, Nick Nolte, Beatrice Dalle, James Dennis, Don McKellar, Jeanne Balibar, James Johnstone, Martha Henry, Letitia Spigarelli.
Directed by Olivier Assayas.
Olivier Assayas has made very different kinds of films in recent years, his nostalgic 19th century costume drama, Sentimental Destinies, and his mod, hi-tech social thriller, Demonlover. This time he has made an interesting and thoughtful contemporary drama, though not as emotionally intense as might have been expected.
The opening shots of Hamilton, Canada, with its vast smoking industrial complexes, evokes an overwhelming mood of polluted air and difficulty in breathing – which is what most of the characters experience, whether they be in Hamilton, Vancouver, Paris or London.
Maggie Cheung (Asseyas' Irma Vep) is Emily, a faded rock singer, an addict, fighting with her singer husband who dies of an overdose. She spends six months in gaol for possession. Can she clean up her life, especially since she has a young son who is being cared for by his grandparents? The film focuses principally on Emily, her methadone treatment, her making an act of the will to be ready for her son, her attempts to get work (especially from an egotistical past lover, Jeanne Balibar), her dealings with the boy's grandfather. Nick Nolte as Albrecht gives one of his best performances, understated but deeply felt, a man who has not been much of a father to his own son and who fears the responsibility when his wife dies.
The story and the performances are strong enough to engage the audience.
1. The work of Olivier Assayas, the range of his genres, history, drama, science fiction? This film as a straightforward human drama? Its international tone, settings, cast, appeal?
2. The opening with Hamilton, Canada, the vast industrial complex? Hamilton as the ordinary and sometimes ugly North American city? The contrast with Paris and its world? London and its hotels, hospitals? Vancouver and ordinary people’s homes? The internationality of the film, the moving from English into French and back again?
3. The title, the focus on drugs, addiction, people coming off drugs, methadone treatment, health and life and being clean? The background of contemporary industry and its polluting the atmosphere? Moral pollution – unclean?
4. The portrait of Emily, Maggie Cheung and her screen presence, in Canada, her relationship with Lee, their fighting, the nightclub, the songs? The arguments with Vernon? The performance, down on their luck, Lee and his taking drugs, the discussions about contracts, his hopes, the hostility, her going to buy drugs, staying out after taking the drugs, coming back to find Lee dead? The police, her aggression, their arresting her, being in prison for possession? The six months’ experience of jail, Vernon and his coming to meet her, his clearing up all the debts, his explaining her financial situation, his not wanting to see her again? Maggie and her hostility? Her coming out of prison, the future?
5. The world of music and musicians, especially in the 80s and early 90s, songs, records, money, celebrity life, drugs and addiction? Vernon and his role, Trickey and his role? Ruth and her blaming Emily for all that had happened to her son and for his death?
6. Emily coming out of prison, her meeting with Albrecht? His selling the London flat, paying her debts? The issue of Jay’s custody? Albrecht and his plan, his not wanting Emily to see Jay in the coming years to help him have some kind of stability and peace? Her decision to go to Paris, meeting up with Elena, Elena’s help? Drugs, pills, going on the methadone? Her scenes of desperation, looking in bathroom cupboards for pills? Her deciding to give up drugs in order to have Jay? The approach to Irene and trying to get a job, encountering Irene’s girlfriend and her acid comments, Irene standing her up, the meal together, the memories of the past, their sexual relationship, her work on television – and so many people recognising her from that time? Her friendship with Jean-Pierre? and her asking his help to see Jay? Her wanting her son, working as a waitress, Irene and the possible job promoting clothes? Her becoming more settled?
7. Albrecht and Rosemary, their life together, Vancouver, bringing up Jay? Rosemary blaming Emily for everything? Albrecht and his not being good with children, his own son, his wariness about Jay, yet the scenes with Jay and his working well with his grandson? The phone calls to Emily and the proposition?
8. London, the hotel, the hospital and tests for Rosemary, her illness, leading to her death? Jay and his relating to his grandparents? The plan, travelling on Eurostar, not telling Rosemary? Albrecht and his worry about Rosemary’s death and his ability to look after Jay? Albrecht talking to Jay, explaining the situation, Jay and his reactions, mouthing Rosemary’s condemnations of his mother?
9. The arrival in Paris, the meeting with Emily and Jay’s initial resistance, hostility? The embrace, talking, going to the zoo, his making the comparisons, the animals? Hearing Emily talk with her friend about San Francisco? His agreeing to go, returning to get the passport, meeting Albrecht and pretending he was getting his hat, the comics? Albrecht’s deal with Emily because of Rosemary’s illness, wanting Jay to experience this – but her getting Jay in the future?
10. Emily in San Francisco, her singing, the recording? What would happen to her? How clean was she from drugs, or not? How able to be a mother? Her self-image, self-contempt, changes?
11. A contemporary drama of family life, fame and celebrity, the high life, the reality of drugs, their consequences, the price to pay in human terms?
