Annette
France, 2021, 141 minutes, Colour.
Adam Driver, Marion Cotillard, Simon Helberg, Devyn McDowell, Ron Mael, Russell Mael.
Directed by Leos Carax.
Some advice points before the review. This is a film for a specialist audience. And, a definite recommendation, that the film should be seen in a dark theatre, on a big screen, with no surrounding distractions. It has been directed by idiosyncratic French director, Leos Carax, and, for those not familiar with his films, it might be helpful to watch one or other before watching Annette (Lovers on the Pond Neuf, Holy Motors). And the screenplay is based on a musical story by the renowned Ron Mael and Russell Mael, The Sparks Brothers (recently portrayed in Edgar Wright’s documentary, The Sparks Brothers). Over the decades they have produced many videos of their music.
Perhaps Annette can be called a musical. Or, perhaps, a drama with many songs. The narrative is not entirely unfamiliar, a successful performance artist, a successful opera singer, their marriage, their daughter, Annette of the title, his reputation sliding, those on the ascent, memories of A Star is Born. However, there are some rather grim variations on that familiar story.
The film opens with the stars singing a film about starting, followed by crowds, exuberantly walking through the city – and most of the central action takes place in Los Angeles. And this sets the tone for the film, the songs expressing the feelings of the central couple, becoming more dramatic as the story progresses, even tragic. One of the characteristics of the songs is that the lyrics are very plain, sometimes mundane, and repeated and repeated. Rather recitatif.
And it stars Adam Driver as a performance artist, called The Ape of God, playing to large crowds in theatres, eccentric behaviour, postures, declaiming to the audience, twirling the microphone… And encouraging response from the audiences who then become part of the singing chorus. And it also stars Marion Cotillard as Ann, a successful opera singer. She drives in a limousine. He dons a helmet and rides a motorbike. And, interspersed, are some satiric TV news sequences, SBS (Show Business Special) commenting on the stars, courtship, marriage, the birth of Annette.
As the artist’s fortunes slide after a very serious performance in Las Vegas, condemned as unfunny, he takes to drink. And the film becomes quite dark and grim.
With the title focusing on Annette, there is a very striking sequence of her birth, nurses and doctor singing a repetitive theme of “Come out…”. And the film uses the device of a puppet playing Annette – who, in fact, has a powerful singing voice, from her mother.
Which means then that the film is highly stylised, enticing audiences who enjoy the challenge of stylising, but may well alienate (rather quickly) those who are not on its wavelength or feel no desire to be on its wavelength. There are themes of performance and the effect on stars, courtship and marriage and sexuality, domestic violence (and Ann having a dream sequence where six women raise Me#Too accusations).
Ultimately, the film focuses on Annette, her singing, the effect on her father, the pass catching up on him, law and prison, said sequence where Annette farewells her father singing and lamenting that he has no one to love.
The film opened the 2021 Cannes Film Festival and one for characters the Best Dir award. There is a tantalising quality about it.
- A specialist film? For a specialist audience?
- The films of Laos characters, idiosyncratic, a focus on female characters, interactions with the male characters? Love, falling out of love, tragedy?
- The film by The Sparks Brothers, their music reputation, compositions, the music, the lyrics, the style, recitative? The creating the story? Echoes of A Star is Born?
- An international film, in English, sections in French, the Los Angeles setting, filming in other countries? The sensibility of the directorr? Of the performers?
- Screen presence of Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard? Their careers? Interpretations here?
- The range of songs, the melodies, the lyrics, revealing situations, characters? Commenting on characters? Their expressing their interior feelings? The contrast between Henry as performer, and as opera singer? Annette and her singing, the buildup to the finale, her silence? Singing in the prison with her father?
- The opening, showbiz, Henry and the accompanist, the singing chorus and their reappearance during Henry’s performances, the crowds gathering, starting?
- Henry, severe looking, tall and angular, black clothes, his motorbike and helmet, his going to the theatre, the streets of Los Angeles and the theatres, the hoarding, The Ape of God? Dressing, shorts and the dressing gown, going on stage, the atmosphere, the adoring crowds, his postures, words, the microphone, performance, Jude situation is, words, the crowd responding? The variety of performances? Success, interjections? Going to Las Vegas, re-enacting the sequence of tickling and’s feet, the hostile response of the crowd?
- And, the limousine, opera, audiences, bowing and Henry’s comment on this? Their falling in love, courtship, the wedding, the sexual encounters, her pregnancy, the sequence of her giving birth, laughing, nurses and the Dr singing?
- Annette, the use of the puppet, the effect on the audience, her look, size, going up, the little girl, and going home, the pool, playing with Annette? Her father’s devotion? His drinking, going on the boat, on deck, drunkenly dancing with And, overboard, her drowning? Henry surviving with Annette?
- The accompanist, with the couple, coming later into the action, accompanying Henry, accompanying Annette? His desire to conduct, success? At the pool, the encounter with Henry, Henry him pushing him under the water, his death?
- Annette, the discovery of her singing talent, the performances, the audiences? Henry deciding about her last performance? In the Los Angeles Bowl? The compere and his enthusiasm? The setup, the crowds, the lights, and it coming with the drones, on top of the tower, is changing colour? Her hesitation? Her hand over her mouth?
- Henry, the arrest, in the court, the judge, the woman with the oath, his not wanting to tell the truth? Behaviour in the court? Going into the room, the prison dress, the guard, bringing Annette, an actress instead of the puppet, their discussions, the singing together? Annette and the song that Henry had no one to love?
- The overall impact of this cinematic, dramatic, musical, specialist experience?
