Copacabana

There are movies that touch home and did this Marc Fitoussi sophomore film touch mine! Yes the movie has a story that I’m certain many women who had not easy relationship with her mother will absolutely relate to, especially when mother is very outgoing, extrovert, eccentric, speaks loudly, is the life of the party and in one word: is infantile when daughter is her opposite. But even if that’s not the case, film still with marvel you with Isabelle Huppert performance in a role that is very different to her usual roles and until Babou (Huppert) decides to change, you will see a character that looks from another age with smear eye makeup, whitish base, wears furs over miniskirts, alone dances to Brazilian music –which she loves- in cafes, dreams of escape to exotic heavens and seems to be careening toward disaster. Wow!

Story is about Elizabeth, better known as Babou, who embarrasses her very conventional daughter Esmeralda (played by Lolita Chammah –Huppert real-life daughter) up to the point that she’s about to marry and doesn’t want her mother to come to the wedding. For me film has two acts and a finale. First act introduces us to Babou and you’ll be questioning yourself how Isabelle Huppert accepted to do such a role! Second act begins when Babou tries to change her daughter perceptions and we will see the reason why Huppert accepted the role! Finale is nice solution to a film that most of all is a comedy but behind there is a very touching human drama, plus story also plays with denouncing dubious methods of time-share business among other social situations.

I totally understand that some critics and viewers comments find movie not as good as the work of current good directors or better, didn’t like it much. Think that’s because Isabelle Huppert in the first act really shocks with such a different role –compared to her usual ones- and not many will be able to recuperate from the shock to appreciate the second act and great finale. Nevertheless we have to remember that film premiered out of competition at 2010 Cannes in a parallel section that always has very-different films, La Semaine de la Critique; so, me for one honestly was expecting a “strange” film and have to admit that film can be quite strange but is less strange that other films in that Cannes section (for whatever is worth, lol).

Anyway I liked the film above my expectations and just love the music, one of my favorites of all times, that many call Brazilian music but actually is Samba and Bossanova. Film production values are remarkable as truly complement whatever the star is doing; yes, this is a film about one actress in one role and casting Isabelle Huppert in my opinion was fantastic.

I do recommend the film but not sure to whom as this definitively is not your regular French cinema, is a comedy but drama, silences, and facial and body expressions populate the film, hmm maybe my best guess is that’s suited for those that enjoy dark sort-of-satiric French films, a genre that’s quite rare in French cinema.

Big Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @MOC