«Duelles», between sensory satisfaction and intellectual frustration

Les mercredis du cinéma - Kelly Lambiel

In formal terms, Olivier Masset-Depasse's latest film is a masterpiece. With its lighting, orchestral soundtrack, retro universe, technical and masterful camera work and actors' performances, it boasts many undeniable aesthetic qualities. Yet it's hard to let yourself be carried away, and even if you leave the theater with your senses satisfied, you can't shake the subtle but unpleasant taste that lingers in your mouth. Read on.

A tasty starter

Heavy, jerky breathing. Blurred image. Close-up of eyes peering through a curtain. Slowly, silhouettes take shape and the music begins. The suspense is there, and an ominous atmosphere takes shape. We soon realize that the shimmering colors of the plush interiors of a middle-class Brussels neighborhood, and the impeccable grooming of the well-dressed housewives, are a cardboard set that imperceptibly and slyly threatens to collapse.

Just like the almost undetectable asymmetry that characterizes the terraced villas in which the drama takes place. The contrast highlighted by this colorful '60s backdrop and the heavy atmosphere of the opening scene seems to be an effective combination for the elaboration of a psychological thriller. Perhaps because it brings to mind a certain Hitchcock, whose influence Olivier Masset-Depasse does not minimize. We enter the film with a a priori positive, ready to be surprised. 

A plot that leaves you wanting more

Céline (Anne Coesens), the brunette, and Alice (Veerle Baetens), the blonde, are two neighbors and friends whose friendship is shattered by the death of Maxime. Céline blames Alice for her son's accident, and Alice watches helplessly. Following this tragedy, we become spectators of her descent into hell, between guilt, feelings of injustice and paranoia. Is Céline deliberately maintaining an unhealthy relationship with Théo, Maxime's former best friend and Alice's only son? Is she seeking revenge? Or is it simply the legitimate need of a suffering mother trying to hold on to her missing child? 

Whatever the answer, Alice loses her footing and takes us down with her. Well, almost. The numerous plot twists, implausible coincidences and forced parallels, worthy of a good afternoon TV movie, are tiresome in the end. There are few surprises in the final outcome, the bitter icing on the cake of a film that runs out of steam as soon as it comes out of the oven.

(Overly?) polished visuals

Despite the talent of the main protagonists, the intensity of Veerie Baetens' acting and the restraint of Anne Coesens' in particular, the initial promises are not kept. Not that the film is devoid of qualities that could have made up for the script's lack of originality, but here again, too much is the enemy of good. Certainly, the circular camera movements that lock Alice in her delirium make it clear that she has no way out. 

Numerous close-ups, even very close-ups, sometimes sharp, sometimes blurred, of objects, hands or eyes help create a mysterious atmosphere. The long sequence shots, accompanied by evocative music, effectively convey the characters' inner turmoil. In terms of craftsmanship, there's no denying the director's mastery of style.

However, by overemphasizing certain elements and forcing certain links, the director robs the viewer of all autonomy and imagination. Everything is shown but not hinted at, even though the film has everything it needs, technically and script-wise, to satisfy the viewer. We see Alice lose her footing, but at no point, unfortunately, are we offered the chance to be unsettled, led astray, lost or intrigued. A touch of madness and abstraction that we would have liked to see Olivier Masset-Depasse borrow from the other great cinematic reference to whom his film pays homage, David Lynch. 

Write to the author: lambielkelly@hotmail.com

Photo credit: © Agora Films