A cleaning lady called Germaine has three clients : a kinky, sex-obsessed bank employee, a female TV personality with Youthful Indiscretions in her past, and a priest/social worker whose devoted care for his young charges has led him towards some strange choices (and no, not in the way you think). Germaine, a practical and cynical woman with sharp powers of observation, will pit her three clients against each other, in a cycle of mutual blackmail...
As a movie, "Elle boit ..." is somewhat too sleazy and sexist to be wholly successful. (A very ungainly title, too.) However, it does have its qualities and assets, such as an intricate and ingenious plot, razor-sharp dialogue, striking characters and a sterling cast in fine comical form. The screenplay, in fact, is so well-written, intricate and twisty that it surpasses many a "straight" thriller or noir.
The movie also contains a number of spoofs : Germaine's daydreams about Monte Carlo, for instance, are not only instances of comical surrealism, they're also pretty sharp spoofs of genres and movies such as the "Empress Sissi" cycle. Another fine spoof : the female TV personality giving life advice to (young) people with problems. Watch her profer kindly, tasteful advice to a pregnant teenager in love with a middle-aged convicted sex offender...
Much attention was paid to the visual aspect of the story, meaning that there are fine locations, costumes, sets,.. to be admired. This also means that the movie breathes a 1970's look and charm.
As befits a movie with such cynical storylines and such cynical characters, "Elle boit ..." is not ending in a resolution where all the bad get punished and all the good get rewarded. Now you, dear reader, are warned...
As a movie, "Elle boit ..." is somewhat too sleazy and sexist to be wholly successful. (A very ungainly title, too.) However, it does have its qualities and assets, such as an intricate and ingenious plot, razor-sharp dialogue, striking characters and a sterling cast in fine comical form. The screenplay, in fact, is so well-written, intricate and twisty that it surpasses many a "straight" thriller or noir.
The movie also contains a number of spoofs : Germaine's daydreams about Monte Carlo, for instance, are not only instances of comical surrealism, they're also pretty sharp spoofs of genres and movies such as the "Empress Sissi" cycle. Another fine spoof : the female TV personality giving life advice to (young) people with problems. Watch her profer kindly, tasteful advice to a pregnant teenager in love with a middle-aged convicted sex offender...
Much attention was paid to the visual aspect of the story, meaning that there are fine locations, costumes, sets,.. to be admired. This also means that the movie breathes a 1970's look and charm.
As befits a movie with such cynical storylines and such cynical characters, "Elle boit ..." is not ending in a resolution where all the bad get punished and all the good get rewarded. Now you, dear reader, are warned...