So, Volontaire. Seen it last Tuesday, but didn't have time to post here.
Acquart-side, there is not much to say, unfortunately. She has even less screentime than I feared: present in 3 scenes only, and she has like 4 or 5 lines all in all. After the first 15-20 minutes she's not seen anymore. First time we don't see but hear her as she responds to a greeting from Corentin Fila's character, it's the lone figure seated on the stairs in the academy hall that the first pictures revealed. The second time is the one she expresses jealousy during a lunch. I'd say she steals the scene but I may be biased . Anyway, she play grumpy well. The third time, Lambert Wilson's character asks her if there is a problem. She says no.
And that is all...
She is credited as "La jeune recrue boudeuse" though .
The movie itself I didn't like much . The biggest problems in my opinion are:
1) The characters are not sympathetic. The actors play well, so it's not their fault, but it's the way in which they are written. I didn't really understand Laure's motivations, and those of commandant Rivière are obscure too until the final scene (I think). The story is told in a detached manner. Laure has a boyfriend in the beginning, and their relation does not ring right; moreover they break almost wordlessly so I didn't really buy it.
2) The actions and the pacing. Not much happens. The movie is very monotone, but without style. The photography has nothing remarkable, nor has the music (it even gets sappy at times, poor choices imho). Laure's progression, as the movie is about it, is very linear and it feels that her determination never falters. But it is not shown in a significant manner, especially her hardest obstacles. At one moment she can't climb a wall, even with a run-up. But she keeps trying. Rivière challenges her to do it without a run-up. At the crucial moment, she does it without a run-up BUT the movie does not show her succeed in one take, rather first we see her jump, and then the angle changes and we see from the top of the wall as she climbs. It was wrong to do so, because it takes away the feeling of achievement, and I was left with the impression that it was a cheap trick because the actress didn't manage to do it right.
Miscellanea:
- There are some funny moments, particularly a running gag about Rivière's mandarin which he never eats.
- The movie, in a true French tradition , has nudity from Rouxel, not one but three times. Ok, she's beautiful, but it does not serve the story... at all.
- Laure is supposed to be an expert in Russian and English, and that is done right, I was satisfied with Russian pronunciation from her, and her interlocutor is obviously really Russian, so that is good.
- Last thing, at times, the film really felt as an advertisement for the Marine. I suppose it is so because the Army funded part of the movie.