“Elle” is a sophisticated, twisted erotic-psychological thriller charged with a high voltage of anxiety, desire, and animosity. It will stick with you right under the skin for a long time.
Director Paul Verhoeven returns to his European roots with a high content of sexual deviations, perversions, and obsessions - constantly pushing in his films the boundary-line beyond the imaginable.
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| PHOTO COURTESY OF ©2016 SONY PICTURES CLASSICS |
The role of “Elle” is custom-made for Isabelle Huppert (“Things to Come,” “Amour,” “The Piano Teacher”), who perfectly portrays Michele LeBlanc, an upper-class, high-ranking French executive and producer of violent video games charged with bloody erotic sequences that alter the subconscious.
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| PHOTO COURTESY OF ©2016 SONY PICTURES CLASSICS |
Mrs. LeBlanc’s responsibilities have made her an uptight, snooty, hard-hitting woman.
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| PHOTO COURTESY OF ©2016 SONY PICTURES CLASSICS |
After a freak home invasion and rape, her mind is obsessed with the assault, and she can’t stop thinking about it.
The event repeats itself, over and over, inside her head and in constant incursions.
The event repeats itself, over and over, inside her head and in constant incursions.
“What if…” she could defend herself and counter-attack the burglar.
“What if…” she would be in control and get pleasure out of it.
“What if...” she could take revenge against her attacker...
The thoughts of being a woman in power (not only in her job but in her sexuality) create a high level of instability, anxiety, and cravings in her mind and body.
“What if…” she would be in control and get pleasure out of it.
“What if...” she could take revenge against her attacker...
The thoughts of being a woman in power (not only in her job but in her sexuality) create a high level of instability, anxiety, and cravings in her mind and body.
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| PHOTO COURTESY OF ©2016 CINE MATE |
Mrs. LeBlanc would like to know who attacked her. She suspects everyone, but she has no evidence of who he could be.
She has many haters, starting with her ex-husband and her closest collaborators.
Some of her detractors are her daughter-in-law, her confused and immature son, and her mad and sophisticated mother, who has a relationship with a much younger man.
She has many haters, starting with her ex-husband and her closest collaborators.
Some of her detractors are her daughter-in-law, her confused and immature son, and her mad and sophisticated mother, who has a relationship with a much younger man.
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| PHOTO COURTESY OF ©2016 SONY PICTURES CLASSICS |
The mother wants her daughter to heal herself and become more “normal” by visiting and forgiving her incarcerated father, a “monster” serving a life sentence for committing a horrendous crime that Michele witnessed when she was a teenager.
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| ISABELLE HUPPERT. PHOTO JOSÉ A HERMOSILLO ©2017 FESTIVAL IN LA |
“Oh…” is the original name of the novel by the French-Armenian writer Philippe Djian, which David Birke outstandingly adapted to the screen.
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| PAUL VERHOEVEN, PHOTO JOSÉ A HERMOSILLO ©2017 FESTIVAL IN LA |
Director Paul Verhoeven really knows his craft. In “Elle,” he places every element in a suitable space and time. When he became famous in Hollywood with the Cult Classics such as “RoboCop,” “Basic Instinct,” “Total Recall,” and “Show Girls,” he already had a long trajectory in Europe.
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| PAUL VERHOEVEN, PHOTO JOSÉ A HERMOSILLO ©2017 FESTIVAL IN LA |
In the Netherlands, his homeland, he made his most controversial works, “Turkish Delight,” “Diary of a Hooker,” “Katie Tippel,” “Soldier of Orange,” and “The 4th Man.”
Verhoeven continues to make films with the same quality and freedom in Europe and Hollywood.
Many directors have successfully explored this genre with sex, violence, and fetishism, such as Vicente Aranda’s “Amantes/Lovers: A True Story,” Bigas Luna’s “The Chambermaid on the Titanic,” Luis Buñuel’s “Susana” and “Belle de Jour,” and François Ozon’s “Criminal Lovers” and “Young & Beautiful.”
Verhoeven continues to make films with the same quality and freedom in Europe and Hollywood.
Many directors have successfully explored this genre with sex, violence, and fetishism, such as Vicente Aranda’s “Amantes/Lovers: A True Story,” Bigas Luna’s “The Chambermaid on the Titanic,” Luis Buñuel’s “Susana” and “Belle de Jour,” and François Ozon’s “Criminal Lovers” and “Young & Beautiful.”
“Elle” is the official French submission for the Academy Awards 2017 in the Foreign Language Film category. Isabelle Huppert won the Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture—Drama.
Verhoeven’s experience in Hollywood makes “Elle” unfold with perfect cinematography, fast-paced editing, and elongated moments that elevate the actors’ performances to a whole new level.
In “Elle,” every actor is impeccable. Isabelle Huppert est magnifique !
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| PHOTO COURTESY OF ©2016 AFI FEST |
Michele’s anger and obsessions make her unconscious of her own reality. At one point, she must figure out how to get out of this sickening situation in one piece and regain control of herself, but her environment drags her down into deeper waters.
As the sexual assaults become more frequent, the structure of “Elle” could be interpreted as “Jesus descending into hell.”
As the sexual assaults become more frequent, the structure of “Elle” could be interpreted as “Jesus descending into hell.”
The technical achievement of “Elle” makes it seem like a non-traditional French movie, but because of its sexual content, we can say “Elle” is a very French movie. If you dare to see this film, you will know what I mean.
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| Paul Verhoeven, Elle. Film Critic José Alberto Hermosillo www.festivalinla.com |
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