Customer Reviews

Alice and Martin [VHS]

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Juliette Binoche has become the Florence Nightingale of French movies. The characters she plays are always intense, emotionally present and available, always concerned, always willing to make things right, transcendentally beautiful: think all the way back to "Damage" or "Blue," in which she she takes on the emotional as well as the physical mantel of her dead husband's musical works.
Ever the caretaker, Binoche as Alice once again becomes attached to someone, Martin who loves her... but needs her more. As she says in "Alice et Martin," "I do what I can." And when Martin (Alexis Loret) tells her he hates her: "I don't care...I will always be here for you."
Emotionally intense, psychologically suspect, beautiful to look at, "Alice et Martin" never fails to keep your interest.
Director Andre Techine' is cagey and talented enough to know that the intensity of Alice and Martin's relationship will start to repel us, so he breaks away from them with charming scenes of Alice alone with Martin's mother (the luminous Carmen Maura) and scenes of Martin's father and his family.
Binoche is such a powerful actress that it takes an equally strong actor (as in the case of Maura) to successfully play a scene with her without fading into the woodwork. Unfortunately, Loret, in his first film role, is not her equal by any means. Loret does disturbed and emotionally whacked just fine but most of the time his performance is vacant and empty...without emotional currency.
"Alice et Martin" has flaws but nonetheless it's obvious and many charms, particularly the varied and poignant performance of Binoche, grab and envelop you despite them.

This sad and beautiful story describes a choice of having hope in midst of chaotic life seemingly damaged. The feeling of guilt inside him gradually took power over his health to become malfunctional as a person, and until he accepted his guilt it was killing him. Even if Martin's life may not be the happiest one, he decides to live forward and proactively.

Just like a typidal French movie it shows lifestyle of Paris - struggles to survive, lots of opportunities and encounters to unknown.

A romantic love affair that is against all odds. Intense Psyhchodrama and shocking symbolism (hence do not be eating during this movie) takes the viewer on a rollercoaster ride of suspense. Survival seems to be the necessity, but can one survive without love? The character Martin will try and the movie will keep you wondering.

Juliet Binoche makes any movie worth seeing and her performance here was exceptional. Unfortunately, the story is in places unbelievable and occasionally absurd. The actor who plays Martin does not often match the ability of Ms. Binoche. He has his moments but often comes off flat and boring.

The movie has a lot to recommend if you can get past the occasional posturing and the pretentious dialogue.

I do not have to use fancy or intelligent words to give my review to such an enjoyable romantic film like so many foreign film buffs love to do. Quite simply I would like to say this was a charged psychological drama that I think the actors did a fine job playing their roles. This was the first movie I had seen of Binoche since I did not count my falling asleep during "The English Patient" (yawn, what a snoozer, that was one boring chic flick); However, I found this movie to be quite entertaining and mysterious.