NENETTE AND BONI
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1997 James Berardinelli
RATING (0 TO 10): 7.5 Alternative Scale: *** out of ****
France, 1996 U.S. Release Date: Summer 1997 Running Length: 1:43 MPAA Classification: No MPAA Rating (Mature themes, profanity) Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Shown at the Philadelphia Festival of World Cinema, 5/3/97 & 5/6/97
Cast: Gregoire Colin, Alice Houri, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Vincent Gallo, Jacques Nolot, Alex Descas, Jamila Farah Director: Claire Denis Producer: Georges Benayoun Screenplay: Claire Denis, Jean-Paul Fargeau Cinematography: Agnes Godard Music: Tindersticks U.S. Distributor: Strand Releasing In French with subtitles
NENETTE AND BONI is Claire Denis' followup to her 1994 made-for- French-TV film, U.S. GO HOME. While Denis employed an unusually straightforward approach to that movie (necessitated by the demands of a short, 60-minute running length), here she has returned to her more familiar, elliptical style. This method of film making allows the characters to develop slowly while affording the viewer an opportunity to think about what's going on. And a chance to reflect is needed, because Denis eschews standard narrative techniques, leaving all sorts of unresolved issues and unanswered questions.
Despite being siblings, Nenette (Alice Houri) and Boni (Gregoire Colin) are not close. The son of divorced parents, Boni sided with his late mother while his sister lived with their father. But, when teenage Nenette discovers that she's pregnant and runs away from home, she has no one to turn to but her brother. Reluctantly, Boni agrees to let Nenette stay with him, but, as the days pass, her presence alters from being an unwanted intrusion to an integral part of his life. More importantly, while Nenette is seemingly indifferent to her unborn child (she would have an abortion if it wasn't too late in the pregnancy), the upcoming birth means everything to Boni.
The story told by NENETTE AND BONI is simple; the relationships are not. The film is about two characters -- a brother and sister -- who complete each other. Each has something that the other lacks, and, as the film progresses, they grow inexorably closer, finding a sort of spiritual common ground. Outwardly, they are often cool and distant to each other, fearful of where the relationship might lead if given free reign. And, while there is no overt sexual contact between them, their emotional bond transports them to a level of intimacy beyond incest.
In addition to dealing with the brother/sister association, Denis explores the rifts that can develop in families. Boni's hatred for his father (Jacques Nolot) is raw and unchecked. We don't know exactly what happened to split the family -- that's not important to Denis -- but we observe the ruined aftermath, and, in understanding what Boni has lost in the breakup, we see why he is so determined to offer a better alternative to Nenette's child, and how that baby fulfills a need in his life.
Three members of NENETTE AND BONI's cast are returning from U.S. GO HOME. Gregoire Colin and Alice Houri are again playing brother and sister, and their chemistry here is as effective as it was in the earlier movie. Both are naturally charismatic performers and clearly understand what motivates their characters. Vincent Gallo, who was a soldier in U.S. GO HOME, is an American baker living in Marseilles. Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi portrays the baker's wife, who also happens to be the object of Boni's erotic fantasies.
This is Denis' most sensual motion picture. Without ever showing more than a flash of exposed skin, she manages to convey heavy eroticism. Take for example, the scene where Boni kneads the dough as he might a woman's breasts -- playing with it, caressing it, and kissing it. It's a stirring and evocative scene, and no one in the audience will be oblivious to what it symbolizes. NENETTE AND BONI is replete with moments like this. The real core of the film, however, lies in the complex tangle of emotions that lurk just beneath the polished surface. Some viewers may feel cheated by the film's apparent incompleteness, but, as dissatisfying as the conclusion may seem, such loose ends are worth putting up with for the privilege of experiencing what comes beforehand.
- James Berardinelli e-mail: berardin@bc.cybernex.net ReelViews web site: http://www.cybernex.net/~berardin
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