VILLA AMALIA
France, 2009, 102 minutes, Colour.
Isabelle Huppert, Jean- Hugues Anglade, Xavier Beauvois.
Directed by Benoit Jacquot.
A very good reason for seeing this film is the presence and performance of Isabelle Huppert. For more than thirty years now, she has enhanced many films with insightful interpretations of difficult characters.
As this film opens, she (Anne) is spying on her partner of fifteen years, discovering that he is having an affair. At the same moment, she encounters Georges (Jean-Hugues Anglade) a friend from her childhood days, though not recognising him at first. When she breaks with her partner, she decides that it is time for a complete change of life.
In real life we wonder when someone we know or a relative or close friend makes a decision that seems irrational. They want to walk out on the life they have known and lived for a long time. They want to disappear. They want to do something else with their lives and do not mind cutting off contacts with people who love and appreciate them.
One of the strengths of this film is that it presents a credible picture of this kind of behaviour.
Anne is a talented pianist and composer. She walks out in mid-performance. She decides to sell her apartment. She asks Georges to set up an anonymous account for her and she will travel and disappear.
As Anne travels through Europe, she buys clothes, abandons them and tries to eliminate all trace of her life.
The Villa Amalia of the title is the house she finds on an island off the Italian coast where she feels she should be.
There is more to the plot – and the question of whether she will make contact, whether she will compose, what she will do with her life but the key issue is that of the crisis that would compel a person to change their life completely.
1.The quality of drama, of life, death, meaning, search? A destruction of a life and a creation of a life?
2.The European background: France and its settings, Choisy, Brittany and the coast, Germany, the alps, Ischia? Ordinariness and beauty? The photography of the landscapes?
3.The importance of music, in the narrative, the musical style? Ann and her playing, the modern tones? The musical score, background? The times of intensity and strong beat?
4.Isabelle Huppert, her screen presence, creativity? Her creating a character, audience empathy, sympathy – or not? Ann as introverted, cold and detached, searching, joyful? Final peace?
5.The opening with Ann and the car, the street, watching Thomas, meeting the girlfriend? Interrupted by Georges? Her not remembering him, then remembering, talking, the past, his invitation, her leaving?
6.Thomas, the fifteen years of relationship, her waiting in the dark, her love for him, her treatment of him when she came back, his waiting for her, cold, the interrogation, the truth, her going to the different room, ousting him?
7.Her continued apologies on hearing of deaths, people’s comments that these deaths were not her responsibility? Her use of the phrase, ‘C’est vrai’?
8.Ann and her background, the Jewish element, her father leaving when she was young, his insistence on her music? Her relationship with her mother, her mother’s illness? The visits to her mother, the celebration of the birthday, the cake? Her mother’s smiling? Her dead brother, his story, the visit to his grave? Her father’s return, her running from him, having to talk with him, finding similarities with herself, the effect of his return, not wanting to see him again?
9.Ann and her music, her career, the albums, the pianos, her performance, leaving in the middle? Her composing?
10.Thomas and his infidelity as a catalyst for her life crisis? In herself, nothing? Her argument, the apartment, selling it, meeting with him later, his attempts to talk, her refusal?
11.The reasons for Ann’s change, Georges calling her deranged, her exhaustion, emotion, lack of emotion? A stale life, wanting a new life?
12.Selling the apartment, the agent, getting rid of everything, the clothes, documents, the personal albums and mementos? The furniture? Everything?
13.Arrangements for the money, the argument at the bank, wanting Georges to open an account for her, having enough for travel?
14.The decision, not going to the US, Air France sending lists to Washington? Opting for Tangiers? In fact going through Europe, buying clothes at every stop, throwing them away, eluding identification?
15.Georges as a friend, the past, his mother, living with her, her cooking? Taking her death with difficulty? His love, the friend, the bike? His listening to Ann, the attempt to kiss her?
16.Ann on Ischia, the island, climbing, finding the villa? The old woman and her hostility? Changing attitude, telling her life story, Ann settling?
17.Her continued swimming, floating out to sea, Giulia and Carlo, rescuing her, her story, the sexual relationship with Giulia, its effect?
18.Georges arriving, his support, his going out, his being bashed?
19.The suddenness of the funeral, Ann’s grief, the fact of her going to the funeral, meeting her father?
20.Veri, her help, the discussions with Georges, leaving again for Ischia?
21.Her finding a new identity, composing, glad to be alone, coping, the possibilities of returning – and the final sequence of her opening the door to the air and the sunlight?
