How do you update the Agatha Christie-style country-house murder mystery? One approach was seen in the movie 'Gosford Park', which kept the British period setting but added a note of social realism, as well as the talents of just about every leading contemporary British actor. Francois Ozon's 'Eight Women' features a similarly rich cast of French acting talent, updates the setting to the present day, but in contrast to Robert Altman's movie, keeps more of the contrived conventions of the Agatha Christie novel. Specifically, this means a ludicrous plot, characters who act for paper thin (or indiscernible) motivations, an absence of believable dialogue or emotions and a continual round of unprovoked revelations that serve to make everyone a suspect. Ozon doesn't play this dead straight, at times he has fun with the absurdities of the genre, but not really enough fun to make up for the fundamental ridiculousness of the whole construction; and in merging the mystery with another genre, the musical, he creates a more distinctive film although it has to be said that the musical elements never really feel wholly integrated into the rest of the movie. Overall, it's a bit of a waste of the distinguished cast: they all enjoy hamming it up, but frankly, this is not a film where an ability to act is actually that important.
Review of 8 Women
