Rusalka
13Jun11
what do you think are Asia Argento's flaws as an actress?
Se uno lo prendesse come un film di fantascienza in cui quella vecchia ciabatta di Asia Argento possa rappresentare una donna irresistibile magari avrebbe qualche motivo di interesse, ma dubito fosse questa l'intenzione iniziale.
These people really like to talk. Unfortunately, the conversations are mostly dull, redundant and waste a good cast in a forgettable period piece. A watered down Breillat.
I usually like Breillat's movies and this one is based in a good story. But it's too slow, with weak actings.
The pacing can be awkward - it gets off to a slow start, and looses some steam in the last third. But at its best, a mesmerizing, dark tale of lust, passion, and deceit that knows when to be raw and when to be understated. Bolstered by strong performances, including a surprising turn from Asia Argento, this is easily one of Breillat's best films.
Asia Argento is perfectly cast in this. Breillat makes all of Argento's flaws as an actress work for the film, rather than against it.
I don't think she's an incompetent actress, but she can be over-the-top and histrionic. Luckily, those are Vellini's qualities too.
I also think she was a good choice in that she's not conventionally beautiful or delicate in her looks or her presence on screen. Aattou is more girlish and delicate than she is! They were great foils.
Mesmerizing. Almost as mesmerizing as Asia Argento's plastered forehead curl.
But... I have to say Breillat impressed me sometimes. The scenes between Marigny and Vellini were just excellent, and what emanates from these moments were, I think, the perfect representation of far more stronger inner things : chaos, damnation, ecstasy, guilt and bittersweet irony, almost dreadful attachment. With the help of a perfect Asia Argento, Breillat seized there all the complexity of entangled feelings.
In my opinion, quoting Barbey d'Aurevilly - almost word for word - is just not enough to capture the essence of a novel as rich as Une vieille maitresse. Without even trying to compare the book to the novel in terms of adaptation, I thought the whole thing lacked of soul, and was a bit too uptight, dispensable, even irritating (just because it's a literary script doesn't mean you have to act in a theatricality way)
Breillat shows that she can do more than shock with this elegant period film. It's still erotic and dark but not as explicit as her earlier works. Asia Argento is perfect as the seductive mistress.
I think Asia Argento is one of the most intriguing actors of our generation. I have been desperately trying to cast her on my next movie.