This film pushes at the limits of what film can do in the sense that most interesting things in it are not what are shown but what the writer can express about the inner life of the character and other non-narrative aspects.
Cinema must show through the lens; it is a complete image. Text is borderless, frameless, it can be objective, or as abstract as is necessary. This is why every film version of "Madame Bovary" is a disappointment because Flaubert never tells the reader what Emma looks like but every actress is an incarnation of Emma.
In terms of this film, when the story progresses in its first half, it work rather well; perhaps a bit slow for some minds, but the characterization and the dilemma are intriguing and contemporary. The camera is fluid and Binoche appeals in her restrained and deceptive role.
The reflection on technology, social media, and how it has changed the way humans see themselves and their relationships is typical, and while the psychological exploration of its effect is engaging, it may border on the slightly too subtle.
Where the film loses some momentum is in the second half which ties the elements together. As a novel the story and the inner narrative would be better presented. That is not a fault of the screenplay, rather it is the possibilities of the medium.
The performances make this worth watching and the depiction of contemporary relationships is another part of the discussion on how society is changing.
Cinema must show through the lens; it is a complete image. Text is borderless, frameless, it can be objective, or as abstract as is necessary. This is why every film version of "Madame Bovary" is a disappointment because Flaubert never tells the reader what Emma looks like but every actress is an incarnation of Emma.
In terms of this film, when the story progresses in its first half, it work rather well; perhaps a bit slow for some minds, but the characterization and the dilemma are intriguing and contemporary. The camera is fluid and Binoche appeals in her restrained and deceptive role.
The reflection on technology, social media, and how it has changed the way humans see themselves and their relationships is typical, and while the psychological exploration of its effect is engaging, it may border on the slightly too subtle.
Where the film loses some momentum is in the second half which ties the elements together. As a novel the story and the inner narrative would be better presented. That is not a fault of the screenplay, rather it is the possibilities of the medium.
The performances make this worth watching and the depiction of contemporary relationships is another part of the discussion on how society is changing.