Mark my words, Kristen Stewart is doing now what Matthew McConaughey did between 2010 and 2013 - fill up her resume with critically acclaimed small roles that few see but those who do love. Winning a Cesar for this film and contributing enormous heart to Still Alice, not to mention a string of great roles coming in 2016. Whilst I won't quite go to the level of rave reviews that many have for this film, I will say that its a much deeper performance than most thought the Twilight star was capable. It goes to show that Stewart benefits from good writing, which should in retrospect be blamed for Stewart's awful performance in Twilight.
Ayassas' clever script is stunning, as it balances real life, the film's reality, and the film's fictional universe with incredibly deftness. In a Birdman-style meta decision, Ayassas wrote the screenplay for Binoche whose career he helped launch. The fictional script and the relationship between Stewart's and Binoche's characters blur constantly into one, as Ayassas often leaves it ambiguous whether the two women are fighting or whether they are just running lines. The way that Val manipulates Maria into taking the meeting with the director of the Maloja Snake reboot establishes their dynamic before they even start running lines. Stewart is at her best when running lines with Binoche, or just laughing as the two break and enjoy in a lighter moment.
Juliette Binoche is a class act, carrying herself with dignity and poise I've only ever seen from Isabelle Rosselini in the past. When considering the rebooted Maloja Snake play, you can tell Maria is considering it, and not just because the script makes it obvious. She wears her long hair with dignity, and then when running lines in the mountain she has her hair short (Stewart's remains long). There is something about Binoche's short hair that makes her more old and weak and vulnerable. The decision to have Binoche skinny dip whilst Stewart remains partially clad speaks volumes about their tension and Binoche's attempts to snare her young assistant and keep her attraction.
Chloe Grace Moretz steals the entire movie with her few scenes in what I consider her greatest movie role to date. She is every inch the crazy teenage superstar the film makes her out to be, and just after watching her YouTube videos I was anticipating and dreading her entry into the film. Her composed and well-behaved scenes are just as impressive, and her polite smile at the end of the film, when Binoche is living her part as the older woman she is about to play on stage, is stellar acting on her part.
Drawbacks of the film include some abrupt cuts, when I would have left them a few seconds longer. A lot of the fictional screenplay of Majola Snake sounds like a soap opera, excruciating to listen to. The resolution of Stewart's character is clunky and strange, and the film suffers without her in it. Large portions of the film, whilst clever, can be rather boring, better to remember fondly than sit through again.
Ayassas' writing about the film world scenes possibly even exceed Birdman. Watching Kristen Stewart try to convince Binoche of the legitimacy of superhero films as a serious film medium is brilliant. The respect for her boss battling the resentment Stewart feels for having her opinion belittled, with a dash of humour as she remembers how light the topic should be, they could easily have been talking about Heath Ledger's performance in The Dark Knight. Its stellar work from Stewart. Watch this space.
Ayassas' clever script is stunning, as it balances real life, the film's reality, and the film's fictional universe with incredibly deftness. In a Birdman-style meta decision, Ayassas wrote the screenplay for Binoche whose career he helped launch. The fictional script and the relationship between Stewart's and Binoche's characters blur constantly into one, as Ayassas often leaves it ambiguous whether the two women are fighting or whether they are just running lines. The way that Val manipulates Maria into taking the meeting with the director of the Maloja Snake reboot establishes their dynamic before they even start running lines. Stewart is at her best when running lines with Binoche, or just laughing as the two break and enjoy in a lighter moment.
Juliette Binoche is a class act, carrying herself with dignity and poise I've only ever seen from Isabelle Rosselini in the past. When considering the rebooted Maloja Snake play, you can tell Maria is considering it, and not just because the script makes it obvious. She wears her long hair with dignity, and then when running lines in the mountain she has her hair short (Stewart's remains long). There is something about Binoche's short hair that makes her more old and weak and vulnerable. The decision to have Binoche skinny dip whilst Stewart remains partially clad speaks volumes about their tension and Binoche's attempts to snare her young assistant and keep her attraction.
Chloe Grace Moretz steals the entire movie with her few scenes in what I consider her greatest movie role to date. She is every inch the crazy teenage superstar the film makes her out to be, and just after watching her YouTube videos I was anticipating and dreading her entry into the film. Her composed and well-behaved scenes are just as impressive, and her polite smile at the end of the film, when Binoche is living her part as the older woman she is about to play on stage, is stellar acting on her part.
Drawbacks of the film include some abrupt cuts, when I would have left them a few seconds longer. A lot of the fictional screenplay of Majola Snake sounds like a soap opera, excruciating to listen to. The resolution of Stewart's character is clunky and strange, and the film suffers without her in it. Large portions of the film, whilst clever, can be rather boring, better to remember fondly than sit through again.
Ayassas' writing about the film world scenes possibly even exceed Birdman. Watching Kristen Stewart try to convince Binoche of the legitimacy of superhero films as a serious film medium is brilliant. The respect for her boss battling the resentment Stewart feels for having her opinion belittled, with a dash of humour as she remembers how light the topic should be, they could easily have been talking about Heath Ledger's performance in The Dark Knight. Its stellar work from Stewart. Watch this space.