***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** I love every character in this film, and I rarely feel like this. I love them because they are so real. These are characters with imperfection and small details of characteristics that make them truly come alive. Every main character in this film seems to have their own interesting past, and though they don't talk much about it, they can make the audience feel it. Some of them seem to hide their own feelings or don't express them clearly. They seem to think about something that they don't fully speak out, but they can make the audience sense their hidden and fluctuating feelings and their hidden thoughts. These characters do everything as real human beings do, and that's one of the most difficult goals any filmmaker can ever achieve.
I also love nearly every detail in this film. These details seem to possess some special power inside: the power of real life. I love the blurred lights at the end of the film, the haunting piano score, very brief glimpses of an old woman who tries to search for something in her bag on a train or glimpses of some women who wait for someone or think about something, Stephanie's face when she says she's happy that William is out, her face when she lies that she's surprised at what Gregoire says, her bright smile outside the elevator, Madame Guerin's commercial smile, the living place of Agnes which feels so cold (though some rooms are painted in yellow with bright light) and alienating (Is that a part of the reasons why Gregoire decides to move to a small room?), the moment when the nun and Veronique nearly quarrel, the moment when William and Barbara nearly quarrel over cigarettes (and we learn later how William treasures his cigarettes), the moment when Gregoire stands near someone crazier than him in a bar, the discussion of the policy of forgetfulness, the moment when Agnes tells her little son everybody must die, the moment when Agnes remembers that she is boiling milk (some other instances also imply she is forgetful, but as forgetful as some normal human beings), and the moment when Gregoire refuses to talk. But what I like the most of all is the moment when Agnes changes her mind on an eclair and when she suddenly stops talking to think about something. (Is she thinking about a secret? Because Gregoire later says she is very secretive.)
The characters and the relationships in this film are very interesting and intriguing. Do they love each other or just don't know how to express their love? They don't clearly show that they hate each other, but they often show some signs of detachment (one good example is the glasses Louis wears when he is with Veronique), discontentment, anger, or irritation towards their loved ones, sometimes with many possible reasons. They often show some signs that they feel uneasy or uncomfortable. Maybe the word 'love' or 'hate' or any word in general are actually inadequate to describe what these characters or real human beings feel towards each other. There characters, as real human beings, and their feelings and emotions are too complicated to be defined by any word, their moods are in constant changing, and they and their reasons shouldn't be judged. I believe there are not many films that can portray these aspects of human beings as excellent as 'Pas de scandale'.
Jealousy or something close to jealousy is portrayed very well in this film. Apart from the envy that Louis, as famous as he is, might have towards his brother, it is very interesting that many characters seem to be frustrated when their loved one pay interest to unloved ones. While other films often portray jealousy between rivals in romantic relationship, 'Pas de scandale' chooses to explore other feelings that exist in everyday life but are hardly explored in other films. Does Louis feel bad that Gregoire leave their country house to the godmother's family? Why does William suddenly leave the restaurant? Is it because he doesn't like the presence of Barbara or Louis, both are outsiders to the love relationship between him and Stephanie? Why does Stephanie suddenly leave the bar? Is it because the presence of two women (also outsiders or unloved ones) or something William says? Why does Stephanie seem to be upset when she sees William and his male friend watching TV together? Both the friend and TV are unloved ones or outsiders to her relationship with William. Maybe she just feels bad about her 'adultery', or about the failure of her 'date'. I put these sentences into questions or use the word 'may' because there seem to be many possible reasons for these characters, as for real human beings, to act or feel like this. There is also a very interesting exception. While the presence of Louis (now unloved one to Laure) causes the male friend (or boyfriend?) of Laure to leave the room, it is very clear that he leaves voluntarily with no anger or frustration. That makes this very small character very special in this film.
However, it is noteworthy that not only the presence of an unloved one that can cause irritation, the presence of the loved one can also cause irritation in some cases. Agnes complains that she cannot play piano when Gregoire is near, and she complains to Stephanie that Gregoire likes to stay in too much. Agnes seems to be more at ease with Stephanie and Louis than with her husband. Does she still love her husband or not? Maybe she just requires a psychological space as other human beings do. And irritation sometimes is just a change of mood: Stephanie seems to be briefly disturbed by Barbara's question about last night, and her hostile reaction towards Gregoire lasts briefly too.
Gregoire is a very interesting character. He is not only different from the time before he was jailed, but what he does now is also different in each situation. He doesn't say anything on TV, but he tells strangers that he's out of jail and confesses about his kissing to everybody in front of Agnes. He moves to sleep in a small room, but seems to be disturbed when he was stuck in his car. Is he really claustrophobic or is it just an excuse to chat with Stephanie? He says he is guilty but not responsible for the crime. What does it mean? Does he really feel guilty for whatever he does, especially when he doesn't keep promises he gave to Louis and William? He sometimes gives interesting comments, particularly the one about people who don't need to be loved. But does he really fall in love with Stephanie? What does he really feel about William? It is worth noticing how he treats William in the morning and in the evening, the difference between the meeting of people from different class and the meeting of people in the same class, and how similarly or differently those two meetings end.
Luchini and Lindon have a great chance to shine in this film. Huppert and Giocante also give great performances. Aubry, Liotard, and Bas also show that they have talents to spare if they were allowed more screen time. After all, Benoit Jacquot deserves the most credit. He's a real wonder.
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