This film is so similar in feel to Un Coeur En Hiver that it feels like a sequel of sorts. Of course, it is by the same director, stars the same actress and has the same writers.
The problem with this film is that it is a watered-down version of the story. If UCEH is the meat, NEMA is the soup made with the bones of that film.
UCEH had drama, psychological struggle, a love-triangle (of sorts), a serious talent and career under jeopardy, a business and business relationships being threatened, strong feelings and major pain. This, in comparison, is much less the sequel of that film than an aftertaste. Instead of a professional violinist we have a part-time typist, part-time cashier at a bakery. Instead of deep emotions and fire, we get some warmth, instead of conflict we have nothing. Nelly divorces her husband with total coldness, yet he just shrugs it off. I'm fine with a character having a cold heart, but this film is a world without emotion. Nelly feels nothing towards her husband, the husband is indifferent to his wife leaving him, she doesn't react much when she sees him with another woman, not a hint of residual feelings, no jealousy, seller's remorse, nothing. Nelly's feelings towards Arnaud are weak, his feelings towards her are also not that strong beyond attraction, but no jealousy whatsoever. Nelly's feelings towards her boyfriend are weak (she doesn't want to move in with him) and his feelings towards her are just as weak ("You don't want to move in with me? Good night. Don't call me again. Have a good life. We're finished here. Cheque please.").
The characters are all variants of the same person, all somewhat cold, distant, calculated and passionless. I can understand the lack of fire from a dying marriage, but not from a new relationship considering living together. Break ups, divorces, hookups, crises, meetings, attractions, all have the same level of intensity - 3/10. No peaks, no lows. Just a slow cook form start to end.
There is no change of circumstances, no twist and ultimately no plot beyond an attraction of an older man to a pretty woman typing his dictation.
The problem with this film is that it is a watered-down version of the story. If UCEH is the meat, NEMA is the soup made with the bones of that film.
UCEH had drama, psychological struggle, a love-triangle (of sorts), a serious talent and career under jeopardy, a business and business relationships being threatened, strong feelings and major pain. This, in comparison, is much less the sequel of that film than an aftertaste. Instead of a professional violinist we have a part-time typist, part-time cashier at a bakery. Instead of deep emotions and fire, we get some warmth, instead of conflict we have nothing. Nelly divorces her husband with total coldness, yet he just shrugs it off. I'm fine with a character having a cold heart, but this film is a world without emotion. Nelly feels nothing towards her husband, the husband is indifferent to his wife leaving him, she doesn't react much when she sees him with another woman, not a hint of residual feelings, no jealousy, seller's remorse, nothing. Nelly's feelings towards Arnaud are weak, his feelings towards her are also not that strong beyond attraction, but no jealousy whatsoever. Nelly's feelings towards her boyfriend are weak (she doesn't want to move in with him) and his feelings towards her are just as weak ("You don't want to move in with me? Good night. Don't call me again. Have a good life. We're finished here. Cheque please.").
The characters are all variants of the same person, all somewhat cold, distant, calculated and passionless. I can understand the lack of fire from a dying marriage, but not from a new relationship considering living together. Break ups, divorces, hookups, crises, meetings, attractions, all have the same level of intensity - 3/10. No peaks, no lows. Just a slow cook form start to end.
There is no change of circumstances, no twist and ultimately no plot beyond an attraction of an older man to a pretty woman typing his dictation.