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| STAR RATINGS EXPLAINED |
| Unmissable |
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| Excellent |
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| Good |
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| Poor |
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| Tragic |
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| FILM DETAILS | Certificate
15 | | Cast
Mélanie Laurent
Marie Denarnaud
Denis Menochet. | | Directors
Mélanie Laurent. | | Screenwriters
Christophe Deslandes
Mélanie Laurent
Morgan Perez . | | Running Time
99 minutes |
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The Adopted
Into the Lyon's den
Plot
The arrival of handsome Lyon restaurant critic Alex (Menochet) into the lives of adopted sisters Lisa (Laurent) and Marine (Denarnaud) threatens their relationship. Review
Coming on more like a US indie than a Gallic navel-gazer, Mélanie Laurent’s directorial debut is quirky, borderline schmaltzy, entertaining stuff. Two sisters — musician single mother Lisa (Laurent) and cultured, Cary Grant-loving Marine (Marie Denarnaud) — are tin-drum tight until the latter falls for shambolic, affable Alex (Denis Menochet), driving a wedge between the siblings. For 30 minutes it is idiosyncratic if familiar stuff, sharing DNA with Miranda July and Mike Mills. Yet the new status quo is disrupted by an artfully handled cataclysmic event that redefines the relationships. It may be too saccharine for some, but Laurent elicits strong performances from her cast (Menochet is particularly winning) and, be it in a telling use of delicate lighting, shallow focus or engaging pop, proves she has directorial chops too.
Verdict
Mélanie Laurent's sweet but schmaltzy debut establishes her credentials as a capable director, and she does good work with old Inglourious Basterd Menochet, too. A word of warning: those with an aversion to the quirk of US indie filmmaking will feel its influence here.
Reviewed by Ian Freer
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