Read My Lips
Directed by Jacques Audiard.
Starring Emmanuelle Devos and Vincent Cassel.
Carla, a deaf woman, leads a non-exciting life in a male-dominated company. Her life changes the day she hires a trainee, Paul Angeli, an ex-inmate. Because she reads lips and because an amazing relationship arises between them, he brings her into a strange adventure. “She teaches him good manners; he teaches her bad ones.”
With a beginning worthy of a social comedy, this movie moves gradually to film noir. The spectator easily follows the change in atmosphere. The performances of the actors are remarkable. Emmanuelle Devos and Vincent Cassel have managed to make their two characters endearing and disconcerting. We can grasp the work of director Jacques Audiard, who offers to us so many beautiful shots.
The dark atmosphere is magnificently enlightened by the music. In a word, it is a good French production that you have to watch. Read My Lips received three French Cesar awards (best actress, best screenplay and best sound). Now we know why…!
Two French Girls
I too have seen this film and I have to say my opinion varies somewhat. While it makes interesting viewing in parts, overall it is boring and tiresome. Having seen Irreversible, one cannot but keep picturing Vincent Cassel in his character from the other film. Despite his hyper-Gallic face and general shaggy appearance, he seems to be a drawcard for many audience members.
Emanuelle Devos is perfect. The plot and rhythm are sinusoidal, offering distraction rather than enjoyment. I think this film should serve as a warning to those who believe that if a film is not in English (or is in French) it is automatically ‘arthouse’ and automatically worth seeing.
With this in mind, expect to see a Hollywood remake around the corner soon, because Read My Lips has all the elements of such a film.
Felix Staica
Read My Lips is about reading everybody's lips and about how very sexy Vincent Cassel is. That's my line at least. Cassel has been around for a while working, most adequately, roles in the likes of Jeanne D'Arc (Luc Besson) and Elizabeth (Shakhar Kapur). As in Irreversible (Gaspar Noe), I found his acting somewhat uneven but there is no doubt that he can embody most naturally, man as physical and sexual being.
Clara Behm (Emmanuelle Devos) is hearing impaired but less so with a hearing aid. Her work as the secretary of a large property development company is hampered by her disability and a lack of regard that is shown her. Paul Angeli (Vincent Cassel), recently paroled, is hired to help her. What begins as the utilization of a government employment facility becomes the teaming of an unlikely pair.
Alongside Paul, Clara's plainness is accentuated. But her intellect burns determinedly through that dull facade and shines beautifully onto obstacles encountered at work and onto her growing awareness of self. Paul plays a crucial role in both and they become a formidable pair.
The moments of triumph over adversity are not given 'flag waving' treatment. This is a European film. Some American style editing might have been an improvement but possibly at the expense of a more considered approach.
This review is about not doing spoilers. Prez's orders. She says you can not know if this film is going to end happily or otherwise. I do not agree but I am not going to tell you how it ends.
Lou Crow
