Robson C
Paulette e o seu marido possuem uma escola que ensina às meninas a se tornarem donas de casas perfeitas. Porém, a escola passa por dificuldades com a diminuição do número de matrículas e, quando o seu marido morre, Paulette descobre que a escola está falida devido a péssima administração dele. Paulette se vê obrigada a sair do papel de esposa e dona de casa e tornar-se uma administradora. Para isso, ela conta com a ajuda da sua cunhada e da irmã Marie-Thérèse. Ao mesmo tempo, estamos às vésperas das revoluções estudantis de 1968, que abalou as estruturas da sociedade francesa. Podemos dividir o filme em 2 momentos. Em um primeiro, é a continuidade do status quo. As alunas recebem aulas de serem boas esposas: aprendem a cozinhar, boas maneiras, a bordar, a cerzir, etc. Porém, estamos em 1967. A revolução sexual está acontecendo. Greves e revoltas abalam Paris. O mundo de faz de conta de Paulette e sua equipe docente. Após a morte do marido de Paulette, inicia a segunda parte do filme. Paulette reencontra com um amor do passado, antes de se casar. Ela se vê obrigada a fazer coisas que o marido a proíbia, como administrar a escola, dirigir um carro e usar calça comprida. Os tempos modernos batem à sua porta. E aí o filme me perde um pouco, o final acho apressado e fora da realidade (a solução adotada é muito artificial). Outra coisa: nós vemos as mudanças em Paulette, mas em Gilberte e Marie-Thérèse parecem falsas. As questões das alunas não são desenvolvidas e nem mesmo concluídas, sendo substituído por um final irreal. É um filme divertido. O elenco está muito bem e Juliete Binoche é um prazer vê-la interpretar mesmo em um personagem que acaba soando irreal às vezes. É triste ver que, no século 21, temos pessoas que desejam que as mulheres retornem a algo ilusório, mesmo naquele tempo.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
11/12/23
Full Review
Chris J
MOVIE REVIEW
How to Be a Good Wife (La bonne épouse)
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Genre: Comedy, Drama
Year Released: 2020/2023
Runtime: 1h 48m
Director(s): Martin Provost
Writer(s): Martin Provost, Séverine Werba
Cast: Juliette Binoche, Yolande Moreau, Noémie Lvovsky, Edouard Baer, François Berléand
Language: French w/English subtitles
Where To Watch: US release TBA
RAVING REVIEW: Martin Provost's latest offering, HOW TO BE A GOOD WIFE, takes a unique look at the social norms and traditional gender roles of 1960s France. The film transports audiences to the Alsace-Moselle region of France in 1967. It follows the story of Madame Paulette Van der Beck, played by the incomparable Juliette Binoche, who must step up to run her late husband's school. The film is set against the backdrop of the nationwide student protests of May 1968, which would change the country forever.
With the support of a team of nuns, Paulette tries to tackle this impossible task as the film sets the stage for a roller-coaster of problems as traditional values to collide with the progressive ideas of the time. The film opens with Paulette lecturing her students about the basics of being "a good wife." the humor in the movie is a hit-or-miss mix, with some moments being iconic and others missing the mark. Binoche shines in her role as the "good wife," whose exterior begins to crack as she is exposed to the temptations and desires of her free-spirited students.
Binoche delivers a powerful and emotional performance as she brings to life Paulette's struggle to reconcile her traditional role with her newfound world. Paulette's life takes an unexpected turn with the arrival of an old acquaintance, and the film shifts tones (this won't be the last time) as she tries to balance the reappearance of her friend with her duties at the school. The supporting cast, particularly the young actors, adds depth to the film's coming-of-age narrative and parallels Paulette's journey of self-discovery. I was particularly impressed with how natural, so many of the young cast felt.
In conclusion, HOW TO BE A GOOD WIFE is a comedic film that offers a thought-provoking commentary on France in the 60s and the roles that women were expected to play. The film's end will either be a hit or a total miss for some viewers, intended to shock and take the viewer out of the path the film had been going down.
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Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/23/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Laborious.... some funny bits but on the whole a tad overdone!
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
01/19/23
Full Review
Audience Member
I am a great fan of French film making but know that they, like anyone else, are quite capable of producing the occasional dog of a movie - this sad, woeful, amateur effort bears that out. I managed about forty minutes before walking out.
Rated 1.5/5 Stars •
Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars
02/04/23
Full Review
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