L'HERISSON (HEDGEHOG)
France, 2009, 100 minutes, Colour.
Josiane Balasko, Garance Le Guillermic, Togo Igawa, Anne Brochet, Ariane Ascaride.
Directed by Mona Achache.
Hedgehogs are prickly on the outside but more tender on the inside. This is the metaphor for understanding Renee, a 54 year old widow, overweight, sometimes curmudgeonly who thinks herself ugly, a concierge at an apartment building in Paris. This is how she describes herself to 11 year old Paloma from upstairs who is busy making her film, videoing everybody whether they consent or not. This is the setting for this quietly small but pleasing French portrait of eccentric people. This is what the French seem to do best: focus on characters, visual, emotional and psychological close-ups, moments of isolation and loneliness, moments of intimacy. There is a particular French sensibility.
Paloma is the character we are asked to identify with at first. She seems to have overdosed on some existential angst and is determined to kill herself on her next birthday as long as she is doing something she wants: to be making her film. Her parents are, as one would expect, quite odd, her mother in psychoanalysis for ten years, her father too busy at work, her sister writing a thesis. Every family unhappy in their own way, as Tolstoy noted.
Renee reads Tolstoy and is given a gift of books by a new tenant, a kindly and genial Japanese gentleman, a widower, who is attracted to Renee and she, despite her misgivings, attracted to him. The scenes between the two, watching an Ozu film on video, enjoying noodles and, later, sushi, are pleasing and emotionally satisfying.
Writer-director-actress Josiane Balasko embodies Renee. Bespectacled and introspective except with her camera, Garance Le Guillermic is Paloma. Togo Igawa is charming as Kakuro Ozu.
There is a shock towards the end, where several people, including the happily relaxed reviewer, jumped in their seat. Which means that the ending is not anticipated and there is a pervasive sadness.
However, audiences who want something lower key and humane rather than CG explosions will find that this is a satisfying look at being human.
1. A film for French sensibilities? Universal appeal?
2. The Paris locations, the street, the apartments and the interiors? The score?
3. The title, Paloma and her explanation, as applied to Renee? As applied to Paloma herself?
4. The structure, the three stories, each focus, and their interweaving?
5. Paloma’s story, her family, her mother and her addictions, pills, shopping? Her father and his job, busy? Her sister, her own life, her thesis? Family meals, the way of talking to each other, behaviour? The parcel? The goldfish and Paloma’s devotion to it? Paloma and her age, the voice-over, filming everyone? Her comments about her job, her suicide, when to die, filming? Spying on people, with each member of her family, with Renee? Embarrassing people? Their reaction? The fish, the pill, flushing it down the toilet, her sister’s being upset? Her visiting Renee, interrogating her for the film? The hiding place? Communicating and help? Renee’s death and her reaction? The gift of Tolstoy? Rediscovering the fish? Paloma’s future?
6. Renee’s story, aged fifty-four, widow, memories of her husband, crusty in manner, strict, her weight, thinking she was ugly? Giving her story to Paloma? Allowing Paloma to film? Her dealings with the family, her sister’s anger about the parcel? The mother and getting permission for Paloma to visit? Later the mother not recognising her when she had the makeover? The man in the street, Jean- Pierre? Taking out the bins, her tasks as concierge? The death of the resident, the Japanese man moving in, her amazement at his style, his books, the discussions about Tolstoy? Their discussion about Ozu and his films? His visits, her taking the cakes and cassette, their watching the film? The invitation to dinner or not, the sushi bar and enjoying the noodles? Manuela and her friendship, persuading her for the makeover, her dress, her hair, changing her mind and going out with Kakuro? The intimacy, the friendship? Finding the fish? Trying to save Jean- Pierre? Being hit by the car, the drycleaner and her past meetings with Renee, the driver being upset? Renee as the hedgehog?
7. Kakuro, his taking the apartment, his books, the layout of his apartment, the gift to Renee? His visits, his technology, the video, his courtesy, nice, the story about his wife? The cakes and watching the Ozu film? Enjoying the noodles with Renee? The invitation to dinner, her not wanting to go, the note and her changing her mind, going out, the beginning of a friendship? The bonds? His sadness at her death?
8. Jean- Pierre, eccentricities, in the street, the unwitting cause of Renee’s death?
9. Manuela, her visits, friendship? The drycleaner and the stain after the dinner? The drycleaner upset at being the cause of Renee’s death?
10. A film of gentleness, sentiment and humanity?
