| ROMANCE Director: Catherine Breillait "Since everyone told me I was going too far [with Parfait Amour!], I decided to show them what going too far really was. I wrote Romance out of rage." Catherine Breillat Blowing people up in movies is common place. But if a woman blows a guy in a movie — and we see it all – then most of us freak out. Fortunately for those of us who like their movies pure and unadulterated Romance pleases in more ways than one. This movie doesn’t cut too close to the bone; it cuts the bone clean off and for that reason it is a must see for those who like a bit of controversy in their movies. Explicit sex is only common in pornography and nobody takes pornography seriously. At the industry screening many walked out and those who didn’t yawned feigning boredom or giggled and shuffled in their seats. Plain and simple, most Americans are not ready for this type of movie because most aren't able to go beyond the sight of male nudity or the acceptance of a woman who wants to explore her sexuality with many partners and whom sometimes enjoys the pain of being bound and gagged. Can you blame them? After all, television really only hints at this stuff and most movies on this subject stop short of anything too explicit. Romance is about Marie (Caroline Ducey) whose insecurities and doubts about sex and love lead her to explore her sexuality with other men besides her boyfriend; a guy who for some reason is bored and would rather read a book than satisfy her. The film follows her as she goes off to fill her (in her words) "hole" and satiate her sexual needs. She picks one guy up in a bar – played by real life Italian porn star Rocco Siffredi – and later lets herself be seduced by her boss, a man who has a thing for tying women up. A practice she struggles with but then starts to like because he "ties her up without tying her down." It’s worth noting that the heroine is a grammar school teacher; a fact that director Catherine Breillat withholds from the audience for a little while. The cinematography (by Yorgos Arvanitis who shot Eternity and a Day) purposely has a glossy, cool, sterile look to show us the woman’s empty nature. And many of the shots, which are framed from a cool distance, last for up to a minute. The look of the film automatically labels it an "art film" but it makes for an interesting paradox between the warmth of sex and the cold psychology of the characters. There are indeed a few ridiculous scenes. For example Marie seems to think and talk too much before and during love making; except of course when she is bound and gagged. And the voice-over that’s used is incessant and redundant but when you consider Marie is a confused woman it suitably fits the material. For this reason the subject would work beautifully as a book. As it is though, some will be unsatisfied since it isn’t absorbing enough for audiences looking for a really romantic movie. That is unless you realize that the title is ironic The media loves to hype movies with sex but they often are way off the mark when they try to feed people's appetites for a good romantic sexual drama. Remember the hype for Eyes Wide Shut? Well the same applies here. This movie should come with a warning: ATTENTION: THIS MOVIE IS NOT EROTIC OR ROMANTIC! Many will be offended but some won’t and for those who have no trouble with sexual material many will find the pacing and the directing style pretentious. However, the film is one of the best, most unflinching portrayals of a woman’s sexuality you’ll ever see. Americans love sex in their movies but tend to be put off when confronted with something too stark. I don’t think the film is made to push buttons or offend people. Breillat’s previous work has similar sexual themes and issues but since she doesn’t have a following in this country many will interpret the work for her. To truly enjoy the film one must get beyond the embarrassment of sex and try to accept the woman’s story on her own terms. The director, the distributor and the theaters should be applauded for trying to push the envelope just a little bit further. - Matt Langdon |