Sunday, September 21st, 2008

Claude Chabrol’s “A Girl Cut in Two” tells the tale of a girl and the two men that consume her. A complex character study that at times borders on black comedy, Chabrol’s film dutifully explores not only the emotions of lust and jealousy, but the irony of love.

The titular character is a young, attractive local weathergirl, Gabrielle Deneige (Ludivine Sagnier) who is entangled in a love triangle with Charles Saint-Denis (François Berléand), an aging, well-respected writer and Paul Gaurdens (played to perfection by Benoît Magimel), a spoiled heir from a wealthy family. Saint-Denis craftily seduces her and almost immediately pushes her to arms-length, careful not to upset the balance of his marriage, his career and his affair. On the contrary, Gaurdens crudely and persistently attempts to court
her using his wealth and status as leverage, treating her as though she was just another object he wanted.

Unsurprisingly, the plot focuses primarily on Gabrielle and her suitors, but the supporting characters play perfectly into the overall message of the film. Capucine (Mathilda May), Saint-Denis’ “sexually-liberated” literary agent plays the perfect foil to Gabrielle, much in the same way that Saint-Denis does to Gaurdens. Experienced and savvy, she uses her sexuality to her advantage, while Gabrielle is a slave to hers.

While at times it plays almost like a romantic comedy with the optimism sucked out, the film is, at its core, rooted in Chabrol’s past films. While revealing the parallels to his previous work would give away the ending, it is safe to say that he builds off of what he knows while straying into somewhat virgin territory with the subject matter. Despite excellent acting and an enticing if familiar premise, the film’s rhythm falls flat at times due to sluggish pacing in the second act, barely picking up in time for the climax.

Ultimately, Chabrol accomplishes want he sets out to do, leaving us with an intriguing insight into the cynical nature of human relationships, detailing the all-to-familiar dichotomy of the romantic and the practical.

“A Girl Cut in Two” is now playing at Ritz at the Bourse (400 Ranstead Street)-Times are as followed through Thurs., Oct 2: (12:00 2:30) 5:05 7:30 9:55

***Media credit: IFC Films