![]() Binoche is present in the scene too, but, like the rest of us, she is an observer, awed by the scalding intensity of Christèle’s vitriol. From the moment that she storms into an unemployment office at the very start of the film, spitting with impatience at the bureaucratic fumbling which leaves her without the money to feed her kids, Lambert is mesmerising. Most notable of these is Hélène Lambert, who plays fiery single mother Christèle. The combination of Binoche, the profile of the source material and the timely themes will likely draw audiences from beyond the festival circuit: the film has sold to several territories already and will be released in France by Memento Distribution.īinoche is inarguably the star of the film, but there’s a generosity in her performance which allows the other, non-professional performers to claim their share of the story. Following on from its premiere in the opening slot of Directors’ Fortnight, the film should enjoy a healthy festival run. But a closer parallel might be the humanism and camaraderie in the face of desperation explored in Stéphane Brizé’s The Measure Of A Man. Loosely adapted from Florence Aubenas’ bestselling book, ’Le Quai de Ouistreham’, (translated into English as ’The Night Cleaner’) the film will draw comparisons to the breadline polemics of Ken Loach. Particularly perceptive when it comes to the ethics of using real lives as material It’s particularly perceptive when it comes to the ethics of using real lives as material, and the question of the legitimacy of emotional bonds if one party is hiding essential truths about themselves. But there’s a satisfying added depth born out of the persuasively fleshed out performances and the focus on female friendship. And certainly, this picture ticks plenty of social realist boxes. Documentary-style cinematography delivers the requisite gritty naturalism the expected approach for films about economic inequality. Marianne (Juliette Binoche), a successful writer, goes undercover as a contract cleaner in order to research her next book, an exposé of France’s employment crisis and the minimum wage treadmill.
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