JALOUSE/ JEALOUS
France, 2017, 107 minutes, Colour.
Karin Viard, Dara Tombroff, Anne Dorval, Bruno Todeschini, Anais Demoustier, Therese Rousself.
Directed by David Foenkinos, Stephane Foenkinos.
The title tells all – at least in terms of the theme but there is so much more about jealousy in the psyche as well as in action in the incidents in the screenplay and in the strong performance by Karen Viard as a woman in midlife, her crisis, physical, emotional, oppressive.
This is the story of Nathalie, an intense person at the best of times, emotionally demanding, quite intolerant. Her husband has left her and has married a younger woman (and, for the drama, this younger woman is most sympathetic, especially towards Nathalie’s daughter). Nathalie lives with her daughter, an aspiring ballet dancer who is preparing for an audition. The daughter also has a close boyfriend on whom she depends.
Whatever motivates Nathalie, she regularly undermines her daughter’s confidence, is critical of her ex-husband and his wife, relies on longtime friend, Sophie and her husband, but eventually exercises some spiteful malice towards her. Nathalie is a teacher, but is most unwelcoming to a talented new young teacher, the principal having to reprimand her – and she goes on sick leave. Part of her malice is to go to the travel agency to cancel the trip of her former husband and his wife, their turning up at the terminus to be told the trip has been cancelled.
Her daughter suffers allergies from nuts and, intentionally or not, she uses a nut source for the meal she prepares on the eve of the audition, her daughter having to go to hospital, then moving to stay with her father while continuing her training.
She tries another audition, dances well but is not accepted as a student, Nathalie present and coming up to the panel and shouting and abusing them and their decision.
While this is a portrait of a woman in emotional and psychological crisis, with severe moral repercussions, the audience is left wondering what Nathalie’s future will be.
1. A moral fable? A dramatisation of envy and jealousy?
2. The city settings, homes, school, ballet school, restaurants? Ordinary, affluent settings? The musical score?
3. Nathalie, her age, her husband leaving her, his new wife, her relationship to her daughter, with her friends and peers, at school, the principal, with the students, with the new talented teacher?
4. An experience of breakdown? Nathalie’s unwillingness to admit the situation? Her behaviour, hurting people, spiteful comment? The consequences? The screenplay enabling the audience to identify with Nathalie even when disliking and disapproving?
5. Nathalie and her daughter, in the house, the meals and cooking, the daughter and her lessons, Nathalie and concern? Her daughter and Felix, his continued support? Nathalie and her derogatory attitudes and the effect? Her daughter going to stay with her father?
6. Nathalie, Sophie and her husband, comparisons of daughters, Nathalie critical of Sophie’s daughter? The conversations, the meals? Nathalie spiteful about seeing the husband with the young woman? Sophie telling him? The truth – a cousin? Sophie and her loss of faith in Nathalie?
7. Her husband, leaving her, with his new wife, younger? The younger wife and her consideration, her kindness towards the daughter, confidante? The planned trip? Nathalie going to the agency and cancelling the trip? The couple going to begin their holiday, finding it had been cancelled?
8. Nathalie at school, her work with the students, the touch of snobbery, the touch of arrogance? Melanie Pick, her background, Nathalie snubbing her, the new teacher and her ideas, support of the authorities, Nathalie undermining, the criticisms of the principal? The staff rallying round Melanie? Nathalie’s reaction, going off teaching, sick leave? The impact of her return – and the olive branch from the teacher?
9. Nathalie, medical consultations, psychological consultations? The effect on her?
10. Her daughter, preparing for the audition, the meal and her daughter’s allergies, having to go to hospital? Nathalie intentional, not? Motivations?
11. The next audition, the dancing, everybody present, the judges failing the daughter? Nathalie, her outburst against them? Her daughter following her outside? Returning to Felix and her father and his wife?
12. The prospects for Nathalie and her moving through this phase of her life? Or, forever jealous?
