By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 1.5 cats
Director: Emmanuelle Bercot
Starring: Emmanuelle Seigner | Isild Le Besco | Noémie Lvovsky | Valéry Zeitoun
Country: france
Year: 2005
Running time: 115
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0436091/combined
Bruce says: “If only the last 90% of BACKSTAGE were as good as the beginning. – the first scenes were out of this world. Lauren (Emmanuelle Seigner) is a French pop star so unlike any female musician in America she is hard to describe. She vaguely resembles Sylvie Vartan a French icon of the 1960s, 70s and 80s and has an appealing elegance as she sings of love and passion. We see throngs of French teenage girls idolizing Lauren at concerts, screaming and attempting to climb on stage to touch their idol. The girls send her love notes and gifts.
“The mother of one of Lauren’s fans, Lucy (Isild le Besco), contracts with Lauren’s producer to do a reality show in her home. The plan is to have the daughter come home, open the French doors in the living room to a vision of Lauren slinking across the backyard field in her trademark long white gown with a Marilyn Monroe halter top. With mic in hand Lauren would sing her latest hit as she slowly walked into the house. When the actual event is staged, instead of being enraptured at the sight, Lucy is humiliated, freaks out and runs upstairs screaming. She locks herself in the bathroom and refuses to come out even when Lauren goes up to talk to her. The reality show is ruined.
“Suddenly the film rapidly degenerated into another realm. Lucy runs away to Paris and camps out in the hallways at the Plaza Athenée where Lauren is living. Lauren finally agrees to see Lucy. They immediately develop a co-dependent relationship taking turns acting out. Petulant pop star, petulant teenager. As time passes the two women become less likable as they turn to vengeful acts and temper tantrums, shedding lots of tears all the while. The details don’t bear description. 1.5 cats
“BACKSTAGE was shown at the Toronto International Film Festival”