Predictions?
I predict Luchini will finally win a Best Actor César for his role in Ma Loute
shareSo far, Dumont's movies have received a total of 0 César noms. This looks stylistically different, but he's never been their cup of tea, so I wouldn't know about any recognition for the film. They didn't even nominate Binoche for "Camille Claudel 1915" 3 years ago, even if she was widely expected to get in and her performance had been acclaimed as one of her best.
I think Luchini may have come in second last year's Best Actor race (Volpi Cup, his co-star winning Best Supporting Actress, etc..) It's just that Lindon had been unbeatable the whole year (he had never won in any category before).
I think since P'Tit Quin Quin Dumont's has come in from the cold in the way Haneke did with The Piano Teacher. He is just the type of director that Cannes would love to award with Best director or even, perhaps, the Palme D'Or.
This looks starry enough for Cesar and I feel that the Academie wants to reward Luchini and this looks like a plum role for him.
Dumont is in a space with much more mainstream appeal with this.
I hope you're right. This looks something more people will warm up to- judging from the trailer- so César might finally bite.
Btw, I would totally loooove it if it were to win the Golden Palm. That would also be a great boost for future awards.
And knowing Dumont and judging by QuiQuin he won't in any way sell out!
shareFrench reviews are very positive - especially from big hitters such as Cahiers, Positif, Le Monde and Les Inrocks... the film is a contender for the Palme D'Or, Grand Prix and the acting awards. My guess is that Dumont may nab the directing award.
shareI had no idea it was getting released in theatres today in Paris. 4.2 average critic rating on allociné so far: that's really good. 5 stars from the Cahiers? Color me interested! Well, I always felt it was a gem. However, the Cannes reactions around the rest of the world don't really seem to match this love. They just don't scream "Palme d'or" reactions to me. Director or Jury Prize, maybe? I think that, since it was added to the competition, Farhadi's latest became the default favourite and it may remain so. Although some of the reactions are a bit unpredictable for now. Films like "Sieranevada" or "Toni Erdmann" have already gathered a lot of passion and top prize talk, more than one would be entitled to expect given the pedigree.
Anyway, it's a good thing that critical reactions don't necessary mirror jury choices. I think an eccentric romp such as "Ma Loute" might appeal to George Miller at least.
No, I'm thinking it won't win Palme D'Or.
What strikes me is that the French reviews are incredibly strong, internationally very mixed. Perhaps, one has to be French to really get it, or at the very least it has much more relevance to the French... the burlesque, the Tintin references, the bourgeois etc, etc...
Have you seen it already?
Tintin references? This makes me want to see it even more! But I thought of it immediately after reading the plot synopsis which mentioned infamous detectives Machin and Malfoy. I immediately thought "Dupond & Dupont".
There is definitely a nod to Dupond and Dupont (visually more Laurel and Hardy perhaps)and Ma Loute is like the anti-Tintin. visually and thematically.
I saw it today - forget about Cesars - never going to happen. This is as extreme as Dumont has ever been, shockingly so at times. It's pure audacious...
I either absolutely love it or loathe it. Haven't decided yet. Binoche is deliciously hilarious and dreadfully annoying at the same time and she is supposed to be, Luchini is grotesque and downright great all at the same time.
Dumont is very sophisticated in his thinking, writing and film making and this is no exception, but and it's a big but, this film has no way in unless you submit completely to being hit over the head again and again with farce and grotesquerie.
A lot of the reviews say that it goes over the top by the end, and it absolutely does. For many viewers this will over-run anything Dumont is trying to say about France, class, family, love and
The stand out for me was Raph as Billie Von Peteghem, she/he is the films beating heart and is what maybe keeps Binoche and Luchini bearable.
So, Cannes... If this wins Palme D'Or it will be a big upset internationally, but it will be rejoiced by the French press, who have been very critical of the festival in recent years for being too international and ignoring French culture. Trying to second guess the Jury can be difficult and of course there are many more films yet to screen. George Miller's film making suggests this may not appeal to him, ditto Desplechin. However, I have no doubt they will appreciate the film making and artistry.
Perhaps the Grand Prix or the Best Director. Binoche is not on screen enough for an award, Tedeschi is not stand out enough which leaves Luchini. He has a shot, depending on what the festival delivers in terms of actor performances.
What a weird, head-*beep* of a film. Many will hate it but it will be a cult favourite for others...
Thanks for the insightful answer.
I never saw this as a César play. Judging the visual originality of the trailer only, I may have thought George Miller could like it, but he's a rather unpredictable character, if you think about it. He's done very disparate works and his most distinctive ones are quite unlike any other filmmaker's (and so are Dumont's).
I think we're in for some big surprises at this year's ceremony. You got divisive films like "American Honey" or "Rester Vertical" which may go either way: win something big or go home empty-handed (maybe the second scenario is likelier for Guiraudie). "Toni Erdmann" or "Sieranevada" seem now posed to get important awards, but they still seem too radical to automatically appeal to all jurors. I guess "Ma Loute" may be the same given your indecision about it?
This is going to be interesting.
The trailer is good marketing. It doesn't lie as such, but it doesn't reveal either the grotesquerie or the extreme nature of numerous aspects of the movie. It's marmite, you'll love it or hate it, but one thing is for sure the Dumont of old has not sold out to commercialism... come what may!
You think Personal Shopper has a chance? Stewart?
Interesting question. "Sils Maria" was well-received 2 years ago, but it didn't generate such a huge passion to get any awards. Stewart was the most appreciated thing about it though, maybe she could have been a threat for an award had she been the lead? But she won the César and she seems to owe much of her rebirth as an actor to the French support: Frémaux called her the "Queen of Cannes" during the line-up announcement. So, I guess she may have be a recipient to some love for the French block? I think Best Actress will be competitive, though: there are also Sonia Braga, Ruth Negga, Sandra Hüller, Isabelle Huppert. I have a feeling Adèle Haenel will win for the Dardennes one, right now (or maybe it's just a wish!)
Assayas in a rather unpredictable director when it comes to award success, I think. So far, the only directors that I think are automotically poised to win something are Farhadi and the Dardennes (they always seem to stay true to their respective styles, so I don't see them disappointing). Rather predictably, Nicole Garcia's latest seems the only (almost) unmitigated disaster of the festival.
This is as extreme as Dumont has ever been, shockingly so at times. It's pure audacious...What do you mean? How does this compare with his other films in terms of extreme? I'm intrigued.
I love Fabrice Luchini and can't wait for this to be released in the UK. May be LFF will pick it come October.
I'm scared of the middle place between light and nowhereshare
Dumont is an uncompromising director. He never waters down his themes or the events he depicts to make the film more palatable for a mainstream audience.
The Ma Loute trailer hints at a good natured, old fashioned romp. There are elements of that, but it's also very dark and grim in it's subject. Also, the performances of the professional actors are completely over the top.
I love Binoche, but I'm not sure if she was brilliant or unbearably awful. It's an amazingly extreme performance. Dumont films extremes and this is no difference.
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Apparently, even the Dardennes got some mild boos, this morning.
What kind of crazy year is this? So many suspicious outcomes.
Personal Shopper was booed also. I hate booing. It's so unfair. Even if it's the worst movie imaginable it's such a jeering thing to do!
shareI agree, this ain't the stadium. Booing is generally unfair to anyone, but to auteurs like Assayas or the Dardennes? You think their latest wasn't up to their standard and this is how you support them? Well, I guess it's the way of thing. Even the world's greatest opera singers get this treatment at the Scala when they're not in shape. But I'm still dubious about some of these reactions: I mean, so many people are prone to see the latest offerings of these kind of intellectual directors and then boo them? Or did some already have the intention to do so, perhaps? Whatever.
Btw, I sent you a question (on a completely unrelated matter) via PM. Check your inbox.