Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore star on this Todd Haynes movie, through which one performs the opposite in a trendy however superficial story.
“I’m on the lookout for a personality that’s laborious to become familiar with”, says the actress performed by Natalie Portman in Todd Haynes’ movie “Could December” (out January 24), which premiered on the Deauville American Movie Competition after being chosen on the Cannes Movie Competition. In “her want to take dangers and play together with her picture as an actress”, it was she who despatched the script to the director (“Carol”, “Mildred Pierce”, “Darkish Waters”…), “who loves making movies about difficult girls”, and requested one other actress with whom he has labored extensively, Julianne Moore (“Removed from Heaven”, “I’m Not There”…).
Elizabeth (Natalie Portman), a younger Hollywood star, is getting ready for her subsequent movie function, that of Gracie (Julianne Moore), additionally a celeb in her personal proper. Then married and a mom, scandalous Gracie had an affair with a thirteen-year-old boy on the age of 36, which landed her in jail, the place she gave delivery to their first youngster. Now married for over twenty years, Gracie and her Joe (performed by Charles Melton) kind a “cute” and atypical couple, the expression within the title “Could December” evoking their age distinction.
The complexity of human beings
Elizabeth arrives at their Georgia residence in the course of a barbecue. The actress dines together with her household, has espresso together with her ex-husband, questions neighbors and pals, observes one another, takes notes, sucks up dwelling materials for her movie, tries to vamp Gracie, who has no disgrace, remorse or guilt.
Embodying such a media character may be “an Oscar function”, and of their preparation for this character, Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore, of their duo of actresses taking turns, play reverse one another on digital camera in a ravishing sequence, imitating one another, like a sport of mirrors through which the actress copies the mimics, expressions and attitudes of her “dwelling” mannequin.
Todd Haynes evokes the complexity of human beings, ethical ambiguity, judgment, manipulation, and even the making of cinema, on this extremely aesthetic movie, shot shortly (23 days) on a “low” funds regardless of two stars. The filmmaker makes skilful use of Michel Legrand’s music composed for Joseph Losey’s “Le Messager” (and used on French TV’s “Faites entrer l’accusé”!), and the fantastic thing about his pictures make “Could December” a advantageous piece of cinema, however its overflow of favor and lack of stakes (a Hollywood star prepares a job) in the end render it superficial.
Patrick TARDIT
“Could December”, by Todd Haynes, starring Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore (launch January 24).
