I have really no idea if I like this film for its good points, or to intensely dislike it for the bad ones. The title should have been, in my opinion, ' Villa Triste ' as it is not only a better title ( based on Patrick Modiano's novel ) but because who cares or knows what perfume Yvonne wears ? I only watched the film as I like Modiano's work, and as I have not read this specific one I hoped for better. I am convinced the book has more merit than Patrice Leconte's film. Bad things first. Sandra Majon was one of the most tepid actors I have ever seen, and in this film the passivity of Hippolyte Girardot's acting in a complex role was in my opinion quite simply lazy. And then there is a sad old homosexual played by Jean-Pierre Marielle that showed off every pathetic gesture that presumably the director thought every ageing homosexual should, or does have. The music is relentlessly soft focussed when it is not maudlin, and so is the camera work in far too many scenes. Now for the good points. It does have a few powerful scenes and to avoid spoilers the Algerian War raging in France in 1958 was sometimes put to the foreground and the regret of wasted and passing years movingly shown. I do not want to give away more except to say the ' erotic ' scenes were dull, and repetitious and totally unconvincing. I give it a 5 for an attempt to put a Modiano book on screen, and for the ambiguity of motives adequately conveyed. As I said my opinion of this film is in the balance, but with more thought probably veering towards the bad.
Review of Yvonne's Perfume
