Elle

A dubious topic for a film, even a European one, at the best of times and maybe a story that just didn’t need telling. But there are those who think that director Paul Verhoeven (Hollow Man, Black Book, Robocop) has created an artistic contribution to cinema. Your view will no doubt be mixed when you discover that the film, much like the critics slated Straw Dogs regarding, involves rape and a woman’s behaviour around that and reaction to the event.

It’s a French film, set in France which involves a successful businesswoman with a tragic past involving a father who was a killer and who has a track-record in her life of relationship failures and bitterness. She’s horribly unlikable, as are most characters in this film, many of whom bring the nasty side of life to the table for analysis.

The lead is taken by the incredibly talented actress Isabelle Huppert (Sleeping Beauty, The Piano Teacher - and a million more) who envelopes the role and portrays the bitter and twisted victim. The rest of the cast are mostly French actors will differing amounts of fame, screen-time and impact on the film, which is in French with subtitles.

The film focuses mainly on the life of Michèle in the lead, but like a good European film (or indeed Woody Allen outing), it also examines and develops the interrelationships between all the characters, often dwelling on isolated mealtime conversation sets, arguments and conflict, relying on snappy dialogue and photographic interest by use of angles and lighting for atmosphere.

She is raped by a masked man and doesn’t tell anyone until much later - and then only a close few. Her background and experience has a bearing on that decision. She is painted up as someone who knows about sex and the impact of sex on society as she works in the erotic computer gaming industry. As someone who has been screwed up about sex all her life and has made sure that she’s close to it. As someone who’s approach to sex is laissez faire and who thinks nothing of pursuing her desires at the cost of those around her and destroying the lives of others by her actions. I won't spell it out but she takes her own action in relation to sorting things out rather than informing the police, who she doesn't trust from her past.

It’s a tough topic to nail and I’m sure that I’m reporting my findings in a guarded manner here as it’s a difficult one. The overpowering reaction I had to it, though, was that everyone was just nasty and most of them were being nasty to each other. It reflects a world where relationships are corrupt and sex is used as a tool for people to feed their fantasies and desires. Not sure I recommend it really, but thought I’d report anyway.