Pretty Things (2001)
"Les jolies choses" (original title)

Lucie and Marie are twin sisters with a love-hate relationship, their personalities completely opposed. Lucie is an extroverted pin-up model, drawn to Paris seeking fame and dragged into a ... See full summary »

Director:

Gilles Paquet-Brenner

Writers:

Virginie Despentes (novel), Gilles Paquet-Brenner

Stars:

Marion Cotillard, Stomy Bugsy, Patrick Bruel

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Marion Cotillard	...	Marie / Lucie
Stomy Bugsy	...	Nicolas
Patrick Bruel	...	Jacques
Titoff	...	Sébastien
Ophélie Winter	...	Jessica
Tony Amoni	...	Steve
Matthieu Touboul	...	Martin
Olivier Granier	...	Le père
Aude Brenner	...	La mère
Nikita Lespinasse	...	Heidi
Guy Amram	...	Fred
Martin Amic	...	Arthur
Morgane Maugran	...	Physio night-club
Xavier Briere	...	Inspecteur
Albert Buis	...	Commerçant

Storyline

Lucie and Marie are twin sisters with a love-hate relationship, their personalities completely opposed. Lucie is an extroverted pin-up model, drawn to Paris seeking fame and dragged into a world of sex, drugs and danger. Marie is a quiet, reserved and austere. Both sisters are haunted by their long-standing childhood competition for the affections of their cruel, emotionally distant father. However, when Lucie's modeling connections lead to an exclusive recording contract offer despite the fact that she cannot sing, Lucie is forced to seek out Marie, who possesses a good singing voice, to perform in her place. Marie reluctantly agrees, but when she returns from the performance she finds that Lucie has committed suicide, leaving her no choice but to assume Lucie's name. As Marie's own fame skyrockets, she spirals uncontrollably further downward into the secrets of Lucie's dark life and finds a hidden side of herself.

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Plot Keywords:

twin sister | kissing breasts | suicide | singing | impersonating one's identical twin sister | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

14 November 2001 (France)

Also Known As:

Búcsúdal

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Box Office

Budget:

FRF 21,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

C.A.P.A.C., Hugo Films, M6 Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

This is the first film which Marion Cotillard plays a singer, the second was La Vie en Rose (2007).

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Quotes

Sébastien: [Kissing Marie's right nipple] I adore your breasts.

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Connections

References The Addams Family (1991)

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Soundtracks

Ton corps
Music by Axelle Renoir
Lyrics by Gilles Paquet-Brenner
Performed by Marion Cotillard

User Reviews

Quite a startling unfolding of a descent into depravity.

I was lucky enough to catch this at a Melbourne International Film Festival a few years ago and was blown away by the serpentine descent that the audience is put through. The stunning soundtrack and focussed performance by Cotillard made for a mesmerising if somewhat melodramatic film. The characters interactions with each other were rooted in realism, sometimes displaying that twisted reality we all have to deal with. I enjoyed this for being gratuitously indulgent, and yet gritty with some raw nerves exposed.