on being bleu: a review of the film, bleu
Published September 28, 2004
Of course, this is just one interpretation and it may be dead wrong. But her murderess rage toward the mice and the small mouse newborns that are blind and helpless as her own little girl was at one time is telling. She will first close the door on them, pretend them do not exist. But cats eat mice, and Julie will find a cat or some other remedy for the constant reminder that the mice provide - of the life, of death, of nurturing and being a mother.
There's a great deal to blue, and more than meets the eye. its not what anyone would call the usual French film if such a thing exists if one can stereotype so greatly. There are many who really hate this film, noting it is "too French" but I'm not sure what that even means. I've seen many French films and while I think they are no doubt different in style and tone from the work of say, America, I wouldn't say they are better or worse. Bleu is different, no doubt, and parts of it, the close-ups on objects, the blackouts between shots make this an art-film in many ways and may grate on the nerves of some viewers. That said, it's a film worth seeing, and there could be no better title for it than Blue, save perhaps Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany's "Mean Reds" which are, she tells us, far worse than the blues.
- on being bleu: a review of the film, bleu
- Published: September 28, 2004
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- Filed Under: Video: Foreign Language, Video: Drama
- Writer: Sadi Ranson-Polizzotti
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you are right; it does focus a great deal on emotional resonance and her very real and palpable loss and how this changes her. what's more, the things she finds out about her life; but isn't that always the way. when you think you know someone and they die, you often find out all sorts of things that would have been better if never found, alas, as i know from personal experience. More reasons to live your life openly and honestly.
The scene that really gets to me in the film is when she gets the cat to eat the newborn mice; the screaming of them. how she can no longer be a "mother" or deal with any kind of mothering in any animal. it's hard. yet she is so good to the mistress and gives her the house, perhaps because she has nothing left to lose. After all, wasn't she "mistress" of the house in every other way? Binoche, "Julie", knows this. When she fucks her dead husband's partner it is purely an exercise to see if she can feel anything - and i don't know that she does. it's so brutal and sad and i like that about this film - i respect it's raw honesty, and while i know many disagree with me, i'll still defend it because i can identify with so much of what Julie goes through, and i can tell you, the director got the real deal out of this - it almost seems NOT acted, but like it is deeply felt, as if Binoche herself has or had been through a similar devastation (though haven't we all, perhaps).
Your comments are intersting though,but i'm afraid this time, i think we are not in agreement. I hated RED, and WHITE. Thought both were stupid. But Blue always stuck with me for some reason because the hurt is so real and hurt, as we know, is not easy to capture in writing or on film. It takes real talent on the part of all involved and this time, i think they succeed without being the least bit sappy.
I applaud that, and should have said more about that in my review (god, i'm thick sometimes). But alas, i've said it now.
But as ever, your thoughts are most welcome and thought-provoking.
Cheers, and my best to you -
sade
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Although I'm generally a fan of Binoche and even wanted to like Bleu, in fact I couldn't get into it. The story was perhaps too painful and dwells too much on emotional resonances than on plot or character development. A far more interesting performance for Binoche was Rendez-Vous, which focused not only on the question of suffering but universal questions of art as well.
It's too bad Ingmar Bergman never had a chance to use her in his movies. By the way, you should visit my imaginary movie list for doomed romance film festival