This evaluation was initially written and revealed through the Glasgow Movie Competition earlier this 12 months – Anaïs in Love now has a UK & Eire theatrical & digital launch date of 19 August 2022
Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet’s Anaïs in Love is a film full of quirks and needs you to find out about them – its protagonist, Anaïs is thirty and broke – and after leaving her lover, falls for Daniel, after which Émilie who Daniel lives with, organising a free-spirited dramedy that’s principally carried by way of by the impeccable Anaïs Demoustier, glorious at each flip – with sufficient charisma to spare.
The quirks aren’t too overbearing and permit for a well-rounded, cheerful character – she’s at all times late, and doesn’t have her life collectively – however the movie as a substitute takes its satisfaction in escapism, and no extra so is that obvious within the two romances which can be entrance and centre of Anaïs in Love – with Demoustier sharing plausible chemistry along with her two co-stars, Denis Podalydès and Valeria Bruni‑Tedeschi. In each relationships the connection is there and obvious – and the film leans into what each relationships imply for Anaïs, with the movie exploring need and energy in relationships and the way they manifest with one among them. One half of the movie seems to be inward at Anaïs’s emotional turmoil, while the opposite seems to be at her pursuit and seduction of Émilie – it’s a movie that feels distinctively French, however in a great way tapping into the widespread stereotypes that individuals affiliate with the nation’s indie movies – I used to be reminded plenty of Claire Denis’ Let the Sunshine In whereas watching, each movies have related themes however this for my cash is the stronger of the 2.
Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi is stellar – the dance sequence set to Bette Davis Eyes is a spotlight of the movie – and it’s the power of the movie’s chemistry between the leads that makes it work in addition to it does. I can by no means flip down a John Cassavetes shout-out too – the utilization of Opening Evening is equally nearly as good. It’s a film that’s totally conscious of the screwball tropes it’s working with and works so effectively due to that – treading a positive line at occasions in how irritating the lead protagonist might be – however there’s an easy attraction that Anaïs in Love brings to the desk that makes it instinctively watchable and instinctively good.
