Should you watch this at weekday movie ticket prices? Yes.
Should you watch this at weekend movie ticket prices? Yes, unless you really dislike foreign films.
Score: 3.75/5
Secret ending? No.
Running time: 128 minutes (~2.25 hours)
“Mon roi” is a French romantic drama between a lawyer and an entertainer. The story unfolds from the perspective of the Tony, the lawyer, who’s recovering from a terrible ski injury. It stars Vincent Cassel (Georgio), Emmanuelle Bercot (Tony), Louis Garrel (Solal), and Isild Le Besco (Babeth). It is rated M-18.
Being a French film, “Mon roi” has pervasive symbolism and stylisation. Yet its artistic elements are not overdone, allowing it to retain a level of accessibility and tension. It doesn’t sacrifice pacing for artistry, and instead uses its romanticised shots judiciously. It strikes the perfect balance between arthouse and mainstream, and is a good jumping on point for those who’d like to start on French films.
Highlights
Symbolic parallels
Of course, since Tony’s (Emmanuelle Bercot) knee injury is the framing story for the movie, it stands to reason that her physical injury mirrors her emotional state. The doctor comes right out and advises Tony that her damaged knee is symptomatic of a deeper emotional issue. Tony’s knee recovers as she processes her failed romance, lending strong visuals to the symbolism, and deepening the interconnectedness of the film.
Exploration of love
At heart, “Mon roi” is a love story. It doesn’t do the sappy puppy love romance that we’re so used to, but shows us how love evolves at different stages of a person’s life. Love matures, just as humans change, but it’s still ultimately a fickle emotion. The ambiguity and neutrality with which love is treated gives us fresh perspectives on what is an otherwise overdone theme.
Georgio is a fascinating character study
Georgio (Vincent Cassel) may not be the most appealing of male protagonists, but he lends a very human face to the struggle between carnality and fidelity. His performance is almost hypnotising, because you can see how internally, his competing desires and wants are what tears him apart. He’s such a flawed individual that genuinely tries his best for the people he cares about. It’s this mix of characteristics that makes Georgio a character that you love and hate.
Story about human nature
“Mon roi” is a tale of grey areas and questionable issues, focusing chiefly on the vagaries of human nature. With no definite answer to the questions it raises, it turns the introspective lens on the audience, and forces us to evaluate what we would do in Tony or Georgio’s situation. At the same time, it’s also a story of love, and how imperfect and painful it can be because of the very nature of humanity.
Letdown
Abrupt ending
The film comes to a halt suddenly, with no indication that the final scene would be the resolution to the story. In fact, there’s virtually no closure to the tale, which leaves you hanging (but also ruminating on the characters). While this may not be satisfying in terms of storytelling, it’s also an accurate depiction of the nature of love and human relationships, which never has a clean ending.
“Mon roi” is a great French film that can ease new viewers of the genre into the style of such movies, while still using many familiar tropes to give it accessibility.
“Mon roi” opens in cinemas 5 May, 2016 (Thursday).
Leave a Reply