I must say, this really does a fantastic job of building and sustaining mystery. It helps that Grégoire Hetzel's flavorful original music strikes all the right dramatic chords, lending an air of almost whimsical uncertainty to the proceedings, and Francois Gédigier's editing is splendidly sharp in helping to shape the whole. To what extent Georges Simenon's novel directly influences this, for that matter, I cannot say. But above all Mathieu Amalric's screenplay, co-written with co-star Stéphanie Cléau, is magnificently smart, and as director he maintains a subdued tone to let the story speak for itself, and reveal itself in due course. There are several elements in play that make this as engaging as it is, both for its quality and the relative challenge of the storytelling, and first is definitely the non-linear narrative, hopping to and fro in time. Second is the effective centering of Julien as a protagonist, and more or less relating the tale from his perspective - the third-person equivalent of an unreliable narrator, if you will. And third is that the questions that are posed to (or about) Julien throughout the length often come across curious, a little backhanded or oblique, and highly circumstantial. The result of all this is a major lack of a definitive answer, counterbalanced by a few select beats that provide such definition - though whether so few are sufficient to form a judgment, well, that's how trials work, don't they? And still what's perhaps most incredible of all is that when all is said and done, when the plot has resolved and the end credits begin to roll, 'La chambre bleue,' or 'The blue room,' nonetheless feels distinctly simple and straightforward, a sense furthered by the abbreviated runtime. Suffice to say that there's a lot to take in here, and if nothing else is true, the film does a great job of holding our attention and keeping us watching.
Of course this is well made in other capacities, from Christophe Beaucarne's cinematography, to light; from hair, makeup, and costume design to sets; and so on. The acting is also solid, with the fine nuance in the performances coming through despite the low-key tenor. Still, what's most important are those aspects that contribute to or amplify the feelings of uncertainty, and above all the shrewd writing that provides that foundation in the first place. That a notable directness is the last impression this makes is a bit unfortunate, as it pairs with an unavoidable notion of having been shortchanged. Be that as it may, by and large the dialogue and scene writing are gratifyingly adept in stirring the pot and building the narrative piece by tiny piece. 'La chambre bleue' is easy to get invested in, and while it may not utterly demand viewership, ultimately it's duly compelling and enjoyable, and surely a swell credit to Amalric and all else involved. Don't necessarily go out of your way to watch, but if you do have the chance to check this out, it's easily worth a mere seventy-five minutes of anyone's time.
Of course this is well made in other capacities, from Christophe Beaucarne's cinematography, to light; from hair, makeup, and costume design to sets; and so on. The acting is also solid, with the fine nuance in the performances coming through despite the low-key tenor. Still, what's most important are those aspects that contribute to or amplify the feelings of uncertainty, and above all the shrewd writing that provides that foundation in the first place. That a notable directness is the last impression this makes is a bit unfortunate, as it pairs with an unavoidable notion of having been shortchanged. Be that as it may, by and large the dialogue and scene writing are gratifyingly adept in stirring the pot and building the narrative piece by tiny piece. 'La chambre bleue' is easy to get invested in, and while it may not utterly demand viewership, ultimately it's duly compelling and enjoyable, and surely a swell credit to Amalric and all else involved. Don't necessarily go out of your way to watch, but if you do have the chance to check this out, it's easily worth a mere seventy-five minutes of anyone's time.