Reviewed by Shane Roberts

Screening in the 2007 New Zealand International Film Festival
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Genres
Drama

2006
Written and Directed by
Santiago Amigorena  
Cast
Juliette Binoche - Irene Montano
John Turturro - William Pond
Tom Riley - David
Nick Nolte - Elliott

In early September 2001, Irene (Juliette Binoche) an ex-secret agent now a spy, and Orlando (Sara Forestier) arrive in Paris for a meeting with Elliot (Nick Nolte), Irene’s ex-partner and Orlando’s estranged father who deserted her 10 years before.  When CIA hitman William Pound (John Turturro) shows up instead to stop Elliot passing on information on an upcoming event, Irene, Orlando and Elliot’s adopted son David (Tom Riley) follow Elliot to Venice with Agent Pound in pursuit.

After reading the above synopsis you would be forgiven for expecting, like I was after I read a similar one in another review, that you would be seeing a Hitchcock-style thriller like Torn Curtain or maybe even an action/thriller ala The Bourne Identity.  If so, you’re likely to be very disappointed.

Argentine screenwriter Santiago Amigorena, making his debut as director seems to be trying to make two films at once.  While the first few scenes of his script set up the very familiar and formulaic sounding secret agent on the run storyline, he then decides to concentrate on the relationships and possible romances between Irene, Orlando and David as they get to know each other, turning it into more of a straight drama.  This is fine if that’s the story he wants to tell, but the espionage side of it is totally pointless and misleading.  Irene and Elliot’s jobs could have been completely different, the story could have stayed exactly the same.

The political angle seems like it was included purely to swipe a shot at the American government and intelligence agencies for their involvement in certain events in the last six years.  Again, this is fine (and I think deserved) but the two stories just don’t work in the same film.  It also doesn’t help that the story unfolds at an extremely slow pace and with an almost total lack of a music score this makes for far too many drawn out and sometimes just downright dull scenes.

Obviously following Amigorena’s direction, neither Binoche or Turturro are as convincing with their characters or as enjoyable to watch as they usually are.  Irene’s off-beat sense of humour just doesn’t suit Binoche who has always been a fantastic dramatic actress but is not known for her comedy and Turturro’s overly eccentric hitman who’s constantly reciting poetry while he’s working and calling his ‘shrink’ after every kill (which was already done far better in the much lighter and funnier Grosse Point Blank) seems to have walked in from a completely different film.  On the plus side Sara Forestier is very good as Orlando; surly and untrusting at the beginning and genuinely friendly and even playful as the story progresses.

A word to the wise, to anyone interested in this film purely for Nick Nolte his role adds up to no more than an extended cameo as he only appears during the last 10 minutes of the film and barely registers as the character the entire film revolves around.

It’s always good to see a director (especially a new one) try to approach tired genres from different angles but maybe next time Amigorena shouldn’t try so many at once.  I can really only recommend this film to anyone who loves Paris and especially Venice because Christophe Beaucame’s cinematography is the best thing you’ll find here.

This film will screen in Wellington at The Penthouse on July 26 at 8:30pm and at The Embassy Theatre on July 30 at 8:45pm.

Please refer to the Film Fest homepage for more information on screenings in other parts of the country

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