Laurence Anyways

johnny_ultimate

A 4:3 ratio, 165 minute long, French Canadian transgender romance? Yeah, this isn't going to set the box office alight in the release window as the Hobbit, but it is an interesting little big film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwDzRzqFaIE

Watched it this morning and its worth a gander, although undoubtedly suffers from a bout of over-seriousness. The film takes place over the course of around ten years (beginning in 1989 or so), and it follows Laurence Alia's (Melvil Poupaud) transition from male to female (although the film is relatively ambiguous about the process). It's from 23 year-old director Xavier Dolan, and its certainly a stylish and engaging achievement. There are several remarkably intense and visually majestic sequences scattered over the extended running time, and the acting - especially Suzanne Clément as Laurence's conflicted girlfriend - is strong. The young director cannot be accused of laziness. But the film - much like previous Canadian production Cafe de Flore earlier this year - is so earnest with its in many ways overly familiar story that it does grate at times, particularly in the film's final hour. And, as is the way with many films that go for broke stylistically, there are unintentionally ridiculous moments that momentarily discredit the successful bursts of surrealism and bold cinematography.

Still, it's an intriguing film, and one of the year's last significant arthouse releases. Out on December 7th. Anyone catch it at the French Film Fest?

Jasnah

Bumping this as I did a search for Xavier Dolan and it seems he's been little discussed here on boards, except for johnny_ultimate's contribution. I haven't seen Laurence Anyways (yet), but was intrigued when I went to see Tom à la ferme in the cinema (even if I found it hard to follow due to the Quebec French).

Dolan's success with Mommy at Cannes brought him to my attention again and I've just finished watching Les amours imaginaires (Heartbeats), which I thought was really excellent. Wonderful acting, interesting topic and some really excellent visuals (although very stylistic, perhaps a bit much for some tastes, as certain reviews have pointed out).

Has anyone else been following Dolan? I'd really recommend from what I've seen! Will try comment on Laurence Anyways once I get to it, but I thought it might be good to use this thread to begin a discussion…