For those who are not familiar with the 1885 novel "Bel Ami" by Guy de Maupassant, here's a brief synopsis. The main focus of the story is Georges Duroy, a man who has left the military after serving three years in Algeria. After working as a clerk in Paris, Duroy meets a former comrade named Forestier who helps him to become a journalist. Long story short, Georges Duroy embarks on a journey of corruption in which he seduces and manipulates three wealthy mistresses in order to become one of the most powerful men in Paris.
Robert Pattinson of 'Twilight' fame plays the role of Georges Duroy. While I despise the 'Twilight' films, I do think that he has plenty of potential as an actor. I actually liked him in the 2009 film 'Remember Me' which caused quite a stir because of its controversial twist ending. Unfortunately, I think he was a poor choice for the role of Georges Duroy. It has absolutely nothing to do with his 'Twilight' roots, it has to do with the fact that I can see almost any other high-profile actor playing this role. Pattinson seduces three mistresses in the film, and his performance stays one-note throughout the movie. If I watch an actor in a film and all I can think of is another actor in his position, that's a horrible sign.
On the other hand, Christina Ricci gives a fine performance as Clotilde de Marelle. In fact, she is the only character in the film that the audience can really connect with on an emotional level. Uma Thurman and Kristen Scott Thomas' performances as the two other mistresses border on campy. More so with Thomas, who later on in the film, serves as comic relief.
Director Declan Donnellan does a serviceable job in the director's chair. The film moves at a brisk pace despite some scenes that begin to drag. For all of the hoopla about how the racy the movie was supposed to be, there is nothing all that erotic about the film. In fact, the scene in which Thurman and Pattinson have sex is quite painful to watch.
All in all, the film is mediocre at best. Pattinson is miscast, and the rest of the cast does the best they can with the material. I'm not surprised the distributors decided to send the film straight to VOD. Like I said earlier in the review, Pattinson does have potential, and I do look forward to seeing his performance in David Cronenberg's new film 'Cosmopolis'.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Bel Ami
For those who are not familiar with the 1885 novel "Bel Ami" by Guy de Maupassant, here's a brief synopsis. The main focus of the story is Georges Duroy, a man who has left the military after serving three years in Algeria. After working as a clerk in Paris, Duroy meets a former comrade named Forestier who helps him to become a journalist. Long story short, Georges Duroy embarks on a journey of corruption in which he seduces and manipulates three wealthy mistresses in order to become one of the most powerful men in Paris.
Robert Pattinson of 'Twilight' fame plays the role of Georges Duroy. While I despise the 'Twilight' films, I do think that he has plenty of potential as an actor. I actually liked him in the 2009 film 'Remember Me' which caused quite a stir because of its controversial twist ending. Unfortunately, I think he was a poor choice for the role of Georges Duroy. It has absolutely nothing to do with his 'Twilight' roots, it has to do with the fact that I can see almost any other high-profile actor playing this role. Pattinson seduces three mistresses in the film, and his performance stays one-note throughout the movie. If I watch an actor in a film and all I can think of is another actor in his position, that's a horrible sign.
On the other hand, Christina Ricci gives a fine performance as Clotilde de Marelle. In fact, she is the only character in the film that the audience can really connect with on an emotional level. Uma Thurman and Kristen Scott Thomas' performances as the two other mistresses border on campy. More so with Thomas, who later on in the film, serves as comic relief.
Director Declan Donnellan does a serviceable job in the director's chair. The film moves at a brisk pace despite some scenes that begin to drag. For all of the hoopla about how the racy the movie was supposed to be, there is nothing all that erotic about the film. In fact, the scene in which Thurman and Pattinson have sex is quite painful to watch.
All in all, the film is mediocre at best. Pattinson is miscast, and the rest of the cast does the best they can with the material. I'm not surprised the distributors decided to send the film straight to VOD. Like I said earlier in the review, Pattinson does have potential, and I do look forward to seeing his performance in David Cronenberg's new film 'Cosmopolis'.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment