Review: Love Crime (2010)

* * 1/2
Director: Alain Corneau
Starring: Ludivine Sagnier, Kristin Scott-Thomas

Sometimes less is more. Such is the case with Alain Corneau’s Love Crime, a film which begins with a simple but fascinating premise, and then twists itself in knots to service what becomes an overly convoluted narrative that favors a by the numbers approach to unpacking the plot. It isn’t a bad movie – if nothing else, it features great performances from its stars, Ludivine Sagnier and Kristin Scott-Thomas – but it’s a disappointing film when you consider how it ends up in relation to the promise it shows in the beginning.

Review: Swimming Pool (2003)

* * *
Director: Francois Ozon
Starring: Charlotte Rampling, Ludivine Sagnier

Francois Ozon's crime thriller Swimming Pool is one of those hypnotic, challenging films that you'll puzzle over and debate about long after seeing. It's a film that seems deceptively straight forward and then, in its final act, completely pulls the rug out from under you. This last act turnaround will be frustrating to some viewers, but for others it will simply add a new, rich dimension to what was already a first-rate thriller.

Review: 8 Women (2002)

* * *
Director: Francois Ozon
Starring: Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert, Fanny Ardant, Emmanuelle Beart, Ludvine Sagnier, Virginie Ledoyen, Firmine Richard, Danielle Darrieux

If you've ever wondered what a film that doesn't take itself too seriously looks like, I highly recommend Francois Ozon's 8 Women. A musical locked room mystery featuring several of the most stunning and celebrated stars in the history of French cinema, this is an extremely fun, albeit slightly silly, romp.