Le Divorce
One hour, forty-nine minutes. One hour, forty-nine minutes. Believe me if you have the displeasure to sit through this film in its entirety you will count every one of these painful minutes.
One hour, forty-nine minutes. One hour, forty-nine minutes. Believe me if you have the displeasure to sit through this film in its entirety you will count every one of these painful minutes. I can honestly say that if I had rented this film I would not have made it past twenty minutes.
Le Divorce is the process Roxanne de Persand (Naomi Watts) is in during the film. Her artist husband suddenly and without warning leaves her at the start of the film. Just as her younger sister (Kate Hudson) arrives to help her through her pregnancy. The dilemma she is therefore facing is that she has one child already and should she keep the second one with the prospect of bringing it up alone. Roxanne (Hudson) is supposed to be guiding her through these difficult times. Instead she is becoming more and more acquainted with the French way of life. Including becoming a mistress to an older man.
This film is so disjointed it is untrue. The best way I can describe the way the film runs is this. You know when you fast-forward a scene and you kind of get the gist of what's going on, but you obviously miss parts out. That's what this film is like. At the start for example Hudson gets a job for an American writer (Glenn Close) archiving files. Close introduces her to her man Friday and asks him to show her around Paris. The next scene has Hudson in bed smoking a post coital ciggy'! Bizarre.
There are no redeeming features of this film really. I always find something to be constructive about but I am at a loss. Hudson has her usual surprised look for the entire one hour and forty-nine minutes. Watts in fairness isn't too bad but at the end of the day you can only play football if someone gives you a ball. Glenn Close isn't too bad as the American tired of Paris and returning home. Mathew Modine, as the jilted other half of Roxanne's husbands new lover, is excruciating.
The whole film should be called 'How To Be French'. The fact that any other characters are American just helps fuel the stereotypical format the film employs. Everyone is a complete caricature. The French politician with a lust for young girls, everyone understands fine cuisine, no one leaves the house without their silk scarves (even the men). The fact Stephen Fry was employed, as a British art expert is the cherry on the cake.
The DVD itself is very poor indeed. No extras at all. Not even the old cinematic trailer. Probably because it would put people off from actually watching the main feature.
The sound was below average; you had to really crank it up to hear what the hell was going on. This is with Dolby 2.0, imagine it in analogue! The picture quality wasn't bad in truth. But when have you seen a DVD of a new film with disgraceful picture quality? The screen format was 16:9 Widescreen.
In summary only buy or rent this if Hell freezes over, weapons of mass destruction are found, Newcastle win a trophy or you wish to emigrate to France!
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