L'Effrontée

"OK"

L'Effrontée Review


I'm not sure that L'Effrontée is wrong -- but I'm pretty sure it ain't right.

Made in 1985, Claude Miller's film focuses on a bratty girl (Charlotte Gainsbourg, only 14 at the time) wasting away a month after school is out and before she goes on summer holiday. Charlotte becomes obsessed with a child piano prodigy and through a ridiculous coincidence, ends up encountering her en route to getting her piano stool repaired. Charlotte then hangs around the metal shop in order to try to get closer to Clara, the prodigy, and hopefully spend her holiday with the young girl.

The days laze on (how much time does this Clara need to get ready for the concert?) and Charlotte has all manner of coming-of-age adventures, most of which involve her throwing various temper tantrums and ignoring her sickly friend Lulu. It all comes to a head at the concert, ending pretty much as we expect it will, and not without creeping us out a bunch along the way.

For starters, Miller has Gainsbourg appear both topless and ass-bared at various times in the film. It's inappropriate at the least, pornographic at the worst. But since it's French, it's easy to dismiss as "one of those things" they do over there. But I'd be hard-pressed to recommend this movie as a "family film," where you may find it categorized since it's about a young girl growing up. If nothing else, her attempted rape isn't going to thrill the Disney set.

The rest of the film is just generally inexplicable. Characters are prone to making sweeping statements about the littlest things. When Clara's dad pronounces, "I'm going to munch a peach!" we wonder what flourishes he tosses off when he goes to the toilet. The strange musical interludes are actually the least weird part of the film, though hearing that odd, poppy, French song over and over certainly tries the patience.

This movie won two Cesar awards in 1985. I have trouble believing it would win anything today.



L'Effrontée

Facts and Figures

Run time: 96 mins

In Theaters: Wednesday 11th December 1985

Reviews

Contactmusic.com: 2.5 / 5

IMDB: 6.9 / 10

Cast & Crew

Director:

Starring: as Charlotte, as Léone, as Sam, as Lulu

Contactmusic


Links


New Movies

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Movie Review

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Movie Review

After the thunderous reception for J.J. Abrams' Episode VII: The Force Awakens two years ago,...

Daddy's Home 2 Movie Review

Daddy's Home 2 Movie Review

Like the 2015 original, this comedy plays merrily with cliches to tell a silly story...

The Man Who Invented Christmas Movie Review

The Man Who Invented Christmas Movie Review

There's a somewhat contrived jauntiness to this blending of fact and fiction that may leave...

Ferdinand Movie Review

Ferdinand Movie Review

This animated comedy adventure is based on the beloved children's book, which was published in...

Brigsby Bear Movie Review

Brigsby Bear Movie Review

Director Dave McCary makes a superb feature debut with this offbeat black comedy, which explores...

Battle of the Sexes Movie Review

Battle of the Sexes Movie Review

A dramatisation of the real-life clash between tennis icons Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs,...

Shot Caller Movie Review

Shot Caller Movie Review

There isn't much subtlety to this prison thriller, but it's edgy enough to hold the...

Advertisement
The Disaster Artist Movie Review

The Disaster Artist Movie Review

A hilariously outrageous story based on real events, this film recounts the making of the...

Stronger Movie Review

Stronger Movie Review

Based on a true story about the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, this looks like one...

Only the Brave Movie Review

Only the Brave Movie Review

Based on a genuinely moving true story, this film undercuts the realism by pushing its...

Wonder Movie Review

Wonder Movie Review

This film may be based on RJ Palacio's fictional bestseller, but it approaches its story...

Happy End  Movie Review

Happy End Movie Review

Austrian auteur Michael Haneke isn't known for his light touch, but rather for hard-hitting, award-winning...

Patti Cake$ Movie Review

Patti Cake$ Movie Review

Seemingly from out of nowhere, this film generates perhaps the biggest smile of any movie...

The Limehouse Golem Movie Review

The Limehouse Golem Movie Review

A Victorian thriller with rather heavy echoes of Jack the Ripper, this film struggles to...

Advertisement
Artists
Actors
    Filmmakers
      Artists
      Bands
        Musicians
          Artists
          Celebrities
             
              Artists
              Interviews