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The Page Turner (2006)
Director: Denis Dercourt
Movie review
From Time Out London
Denis Dercourt’s stylish, subtle and highly assured film is a pleasingly suspenseful psychological drama in the style of Hitchcock or early Chabrol. Déborah François plays Mélanie, the smalltown butcher’s daughter whose ambitions as a pianist were dashed during a childhood audition for the Conservatory when one of the jurors, famous concert pianist Ariane Fouchécourt (Catherine Frot), distracted her by signing an autograph. A decade after this unwitting but fateful slight, shy, quiet Mélanie happens to find herself working as an intern for the law firm owned by Fouchécourt’s husband Jean (Pascal Greggory). Her diligence and dependability lead him to hire her as a governess to his son, and soon enough she’s firmly ensconced in their home and helping out as Ariane’s page-turner as the pianist prepares for a big comeback concert. Is Mélanie plotting revenge? Nursing a crush – and if so, on whom? Or is she merely hoping to bask in some reflected glory?Dercourt’s cool, extremely elegant and often witty film remains admirably ambiguous until the very final scenes, and even then the script wisely foregoes tying up too many loose ends. It’s a meticulous piece of work, beautifully shot by Jérôme Peyrebrune, and assembled with a proper understanding of music and the important role it can play in people’s lives. In building both narrative tension and psychological resonance, Dercourt is helped no end by the excellent performances, most particularly that of young François, quite superb in only her second movie after an excellent (but very different) debut role in the Dardennes’ ‘The Child’.
Author: Geoff Andrew
Time Out London Issue 1889: November 1-8 2006
User reviews of this film
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- Joanna said...
- Posted on Sep 24 2009 17:45 i saw this movie on film4 last night, and i found it riveting. i'm only 15 but i was so captured by the performances and music played thoughout and it was just great. i am a pianist myself and can totally relate to what the character must've felt. good ending i thought, you dont really see it coming at all, but you notice the tension and the relationship forming between the two women. i liked the way hardly any diologue was needed, just the simplest of phrases was used throughout which usually i would've found boring but it was perfect in this peice. i would recommend it.
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- rosie..x.x.x said...
- Posted on Sep 24 2008 09:24 a brilliant film, you cant complain, its great
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- marc said...
- Posted on Apr 20 2008 19:42 Il ike the movie.great cast, great plot. However, can someone enlighten me on the ending? why did Fouchécourt’s husband Jean in a shock after seeing the photo? what's written on the photo?
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- Ruby said...
- Posted on Mar 23 2008 10:41 It is a fantastic movie. I really enjoy it
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- Leslie said...
- Posted on Feb 19 2008 11:29 I thought this movie was amazing and as a musician, I was riveted and could identify with the young girl's disappointment, the rudeness of the autograph signing during the audition, the distraction, the stage fright, and the importance of a page turner. I can see though that if one doesn't intimately understand music, it might not be of interest but the story is an intricately woven web of coincidence and chance. One of the best foreign films I've seen (and at least it actually had an ending).
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- DOUGHY GOO said...
- Posted on Jan 19 2008 17:12 Meh, can't complain - wasn't great
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- Susan Alldred-Lugton said...
- Posted on Dec 24 2007 03:39 Revenge is sweet in this stylish,elegant and supense filled thriller The actors convey with the subtlest of expression words that then, no need to be expressedd.Yook my 85 year old movie a f9ormer vioin player She loved it and we would both recommend it as one of the best of the year
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- Asaf said...
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Posted on Nov 21 2007 00:12
This film was absolutely beautiful. I too, like Veronika's post was wondering what Melanie would do!
Six out of six stars. - Report as inappropriate
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- sealy said...
- Posted on Oct 11 2007 04:14 i trhought it was boring and didnt understnad what was going on most of the time, and now i have to write a essay on it ahhhhhhhhhh
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- Jeff said...
- Posted on Oct 04 2007 15:39 Yes this was a good movie. Without giving away the ending... This movie ask a deeper question, that being, Is it right to seek revenge on those in society of more notable social standing that are in a position to recognize your efforts and for what ever reason do not, thus neglecting or damaging your chances at achieving a direction in life? Right or wrong these activities go on among humans whether concsiously or unconcsiously. The added unfortunate scenario is when people get hurt that are not a direct relation to the root cause of the initial situation.
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- veronika said...
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Posted on Aug 11 2007 21:10
this film is haunting and the music (i am a musician myself) is wonderful. the "pairing" of Frot and Francois is superb. the vulnerable "older" woman falls for the affection of melanie. seductive and fascinating movie.
i was at the edge of my seat wondering what melanie's next move is. at the end - all seems to be destroid.
in a way i felt sad that ariane was "treated" like this. - Report as inappropriate
Cast & crew
Director: Denis Dercourt
Producer: Michel Saint-Jean
Cast: Catherine Frot, Déborah François, Pascal Greggory, Clothilde Mollet, Xavier de Guillebon, Christine Citti, Jacques Bonnaffé, Antoine Martynciow, Julie Richalet, Martine Chevallier, André Marcon full cast
Genre(s): Drama
Duration: 85 mins
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