★ 9 / 10
Detective of herself
guy-bellinger
Amnesia, that most uncomfortable nervous disorder, is regularly favored by writers and filmmakers. The reason is obvious: the loss of memory, which in real…
Amnesia, that most uncomfortable nervous disorder, is regularly favored by writers and filmmakers. The reason is obvious: the loss of memory, which in real life represents a severe handicap, paradoxically proves a major asset when transposed into fiction. Indeed, by getting propelled into a strange oppressive universe to which he has no longer the key, the amnesiac character finds himself struggling against great odds, a sure guarantee of thrills and excitation. Another good point is that the protagonist, anxious to reintegrate his universe, is forced to act exactly the way a private eye would in a crime story, the only difference being that the investigation he leads is about... himself. In any case, whether intimate or not, who says investigation says surprises, says suspense, says emotions, says sensations. Hence the great number of stories on the theme. Suffice it to mention, among many many others, "Spellbound", "Memento" or "The Bourne Identity".
The self-investigating private dick in Murielle Magellan's excellent « La Page blanche », is called Éloïse Leroy. Under normal circumstances, she would be just another thirty-year-old woman but what makes her different is the situation she finds herself in: amnesia makes her a Shelock Holmes in petticoats, assigned to find out who she is and, even more original, who she is not!
Let's take things from the beginning: in the opening scene, Éloïse (Sara Giraudeau) comes to herself one morning on a bench in a small Montmartre square. She no longer knows who she is, where she lives, whether she is married or single, with or without children, who her parents are, what her job is. Totally distraught, she starts trying to put the puzzle together, piece by piece. Not for the best in fact insofar as she gradually unveils an unpleasant truth: she is not the good person she should be (and dreamed of being). As an employee of a large Paris bookstore, she has fallen under the influence of a trio of superficial, snobbish, malicious colleagues (Lola Dubini, Djanis Bouzyani and Doully). On the other hand, she keeps snubbing her colleague, Sonia (Sarah Suco), a good person who dislikes to be noticed. Couldn't (and even shouldn't she) have made friends with this unpretentious woman instead of the morally inept gang she has mixed with?
As can be seen, « La Page blanche » is no ordinary harmless comedy. It is undeniably funny (dapper dialogues, hilarious misunderstandings and gags, satirical features) but there is more to it than just smiles, an interesting undercurrent of reflection. Behind the pleasant comedic aspect you will discover the themes of true or false values, life choices, friendships, acceptance of the past, how live better the present and the future. The light-hearted tone helping to digest the seriousness without your even realizing it, making this a quality piece of entertainment not to be missed.
On the plus plus sign, let's not forget to mention the luscious chromatics of Laurent Brunet's cinematography.
To sum it all up, this surprising mix of good quality humor and psychological depth, is really worth watching. Don't forget to see it - except if you are amnesiac of course!
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6.0/10
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