Laurence Anyways
- Director: Xavier Dolan
- Writer: Xavier Dolan
- Producer: Charles Gillibert; Nathanaël Karmitz
CGiii Comment
159 savagely long minutes - fraudulently stolen...by impertinent, film-school precocity.
The endless gimmicks, the deafening music, album-art imagery, the intolerable immaturity of the script, the intolerable repetition of the story...torture.
Dolan manages to rouse his audience from a deep sleep by punctuating his film with cacophonous music promos...
This was watched in a small cinema with about 30 trans people...most left - tutting and stamping - after the first arduous 2 hours.
The rest were stupefied by the superfluous nonsense shown on the screen - shaking their heads at the arrogance and insolence so disrespectfully projected in front of their eyes.
A discussion afterwards revealed that most felt insulted by the myopic 'transition' and all felt cheated of their entrance fee.
Master Dolan know your limits - music promos could be your thing...short and lightweight. Leave the heavy stuff to the big boys and girls...
For a 3rd feature, this is unacceptably conceited.
Trailer...
The(ir) Blurb...
The movie highlights ten years in the life of a literature teacher named Laurence who transforms himself into a woman after years of concealing his feelings. Her tremulous relationship with her family is further complicated by revealing herself to them while she struggles to find comfort with her significant other Frédérique. Though others may not initially accept or understand Laurence in her true form, those who knew her before her transformation still know her as Laurence, anyways.
Cast & Characters
Melvil Poupaud as Laurence Alia;
Suzanne Clement as Fred Belair;
Nathalie Baye as Laurence's Mother;
Monia Chokri as Stefanie Belair;
Susan Almgren as La journaliste;
Yves Jacques as Michel Lafortune;
Sophie Faucher as Andree Belair;
Magalie Lepine Blondeau as Charlotte;
David Savard as Albert;
Catherine Begin as Mamy Rose