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Villa Amalia (2009)

Director: Benoît Jacquot

Time Out rating

Average user rating

2 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

Those who enjoy the mere presence of Isabelle Huppert in a film should gain something from this mildly interesting but far too spare French drama about Ann, a middle-aged pianist and composer (with small hints of Huppert’s character in ‘The Piano Teacher’) who cuts all ties with her past after witnessing her husband, Thomas (Xavier Beauvois), kissing another woman. A tense opening chapter, followed by a speedy portrait of the realities of changing one’s life, is far more satisfying than much of what comes later as Huppert confides in an old, gay friend and sets off on a journey that takes in Germany, Switzerland and finally Italy, where she settles into a small clifftop home and the film adopts a more symbolic mood. A growing reliance on ellipsis gives the film an episodic style that makes it feel as if we’re watching snippets from a long-running series and increasingly it feels like the film has little to say about its subject.

Author: Dave Calhoun

Time Out London Issue 2079: 24-30 June, 2010

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User reviews of this film

Robert Thornton said...

Posted on Dec 15 2010 22:05 The first half was quite intriguing and confusing in a typical French way but it fell out of steam in the second half and completely lost the plot becoming quite passe.

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agustin pulido said...

Posted on Jun 26 2010 18:00 to be honest i find this film highly interesting on how women has alaways to bear toughest bits of men disgraces...Ms huppert is so enigmatic and stunning at times that made me feel in a reflexing and pleasant limbo about life mistakes.

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