Bel Ami (D+ or 1.5/4 stars)
Adapted from an 1885 novel and directed by Declan Donnellan & Nick Ormerod, 'Bel Ami' tells the story of Georges Duroy (Robert Pattinson), an ex-British military man who hopes to use his wits & seductive powers to rise from poverty to wealth in 1890s Paris. There, he meets Charles Forestier, who gives him a break by writing for his paper, La Vie Francaise. Duroy is not only poor, but he's also a piss-poor writer. So Forestier's well-educated wife, Madeleine (Uma Thurman), helps him with his projects. When he makes a misguided pass at her, she informs him that she will not be his mistress but hopes they can be good friends.
She even suggests that his carnal needs may be better served if he visits either her young friend, Clotilde (Christina Ricci), whose husband is often away, or Virginie Rousset (Kristin Scott Thomas), the dowdy, but influential wife of Rousset (Colm Meaney), head publisher of La Vie Francaise. In no time, Duroy begins an affair with Clotilde & has also won the favor of Virginie. But when Forestier dies of consumption, Duroy jumps in his place - both by marrying his widow (Thurman) & by taking his place as editor of the paper. Duroy continues his ambitious social climbing by relying on the trust, influence, celebrity, sex, & money of others; and by ruthlessly manipulating those 3 women with whom he develops intimate relationships. The phrase 'sex means power' has never rang truer than in this story.
It's easy to think of Dangerous Liaisons while watching this movie. However, that is the FAR superior film. 'Bel Ami' is good-looking, but severely unfocused in its telling of the story. Co-directed by Donnellan & Ormerod, the film falls into a trap of cramming too much plot into a short running time; so that character depth is lost & necessary subplots are skirted over. Often enough, various characters are suddenly doing or saying things that seem out of character because there simply isn't enough time given to the narrative demands. i.e., as the lead, a coherent characterization of Georges Duroy is nowhere to be found. I think that's awful.
'Bel Ami' is not bolstered by its performances, either. No one is bad. But no one dazzles, either. I appreciate that Robert Pattinson is trying to distance himself from the Twilight movies (he was successful in Remember Me). But for some reason, he seems ill-equipped to play Duroy; bringing little to the role of Georges - making him a frustrating enigma, devoid of passion. At first I thought that Pattinson was conveying Georges as someone whose emotions were churning beneath the surface of his face; calm, but not quite. But I was wrong. Aside from one violent outburst late in the proceedings, he remains an enigma. And physically, he looks way too vampiric (don't understand the pale make-up choices). Uma Thurman is solid. KS Thomas, too. And Christina Ricci brings a much-needed vulnerability & sensuality to the proceedings. All three bring some good old-fashioned acting chops to the table. Too bad the script they have to work with is so horrid.
There is nudity in the film. Christina Ricci briefly bares her breasts a few times, & Robert Pattinson, bares his posterior (assumably to bring in the Twilight fans). But Magnolia Pictures is no doubt hoping so because, other than that, there's little here to lure people into theaters. 'Bel Ami' is too slow and takes itself too seriously to work as a juicy, period piece soap opera and not nearly intelligent enough to mark an effective replication of its classic source material.
She even suggests that his carnal needs may be better served if he visits either her young friend, Clotilde (Christina Ricci), whose husband is often away, or Virginie Rousset (Kristin Scott Thomas), the dowdy, but influential wife of Rousset (Colm Meaney), head publisher of La Vie Francaise. In no time, Duroy begins an affair with Clotilde & has also won the favor of Virginie. But when Forestier dies of consumption, Duroy jumps in his place - both by marrying his widow (Thurman) & by taking his place as editor of the paper. Duroy continues his ambitious social climbing by relying on the trust, influence, celebrity, sex, & money of others; and by ruthlessly manipulating those 3 women with whom he develops intimate relationships. The phrase 'sex means power' has never rang truer than in this story.
It's easy to think of Dangerous Liaisons while watching this movie. However, that is the FAR superior film. 'Bel Ami' is good-looking, but severely unfocused in its telling of the story. Co-directed by Donnellan & Ormerod, the film falls into a trap of cramming too much plot into a short running time; so that character depth is lost & necessary subplots are skirted over. Often enough, various characters are suddenly doing or saying things that seem out of character because there simply isn't enough time given to the narrative demands. i.e., as the lead, a coherent characterization of Georges Duroy is nowhere to be found. I think that's awful.
'Bel Ami' is not bolstered by its performances, either. No one is bad. But no one dazzles, either. I appreciate that Robert Pattinson is trying to distance himself from the Twilight movies (he was successful in Remember Me). But for some reason, he seems ill-equipped to play Duroy; bringing little to the role of Georges - making him a frustrating enigma, devoid of passion. At first I thought that Pattinson was conveying Georges as someone whose emotions were churning beneath the surface of his face; calm, but not quite. But I was wrong. Aside from one violent outburst late in the proceedings, he remains an enigma. And physically, he looks way too vampiric (don't understand the pale make-up choices). Uma Thurman is solid. KS Thomas, too. And Christina Ricci brings a much-needed vulnerability & sensuality to the proceedings. All three bring some good old-fashioned acting chops to the table. Too bad the script they have to work with is so horrid.
There is nudity in the film. Christina Ricci briefly bares her breasts a few times, & Robert Pattinson, bares his posterior (assumably to bring in the Twilight fans). But Magnolia Pictures is no doubt hoping so because, other than that, there's little here to lure people into theaters. 'Bel Ami' is too slow and takes itself too seriously to work as a juicy, period piece soap opera and not nearly intelligent enough to mark an effective replication of its classic source material.