1996 movie from Claire Denis, which is not as good as her excellent previous work 'I Can't Sleep'. It has its charms, but ultimately is rather slight and directionless.
The central characters are interesting enough, as we discover how they learn to care and want to care. Boni struggles in this task, though he wants. Nenette is more out on her own, perhaps not needing so much care, or so she thinks.
The actor's play well, but it would be difficult to say that we can become too close. In such a personal study Denis might have been better off presented the narrative from more of a singular view. Nevertheless, certain scenes of sensuous affection powerfully convey a kind of interpersonal beauty.
This is not Denis' most beautiful film, in fact visually it is a little underwhelming. Not that it is ugly, but rather that, unlike her other films, it doesn't stick with you. Saying this, the evocation of the outskirt banlieue is well made.
This film doesn't give us much direction on its themes, the tentative (again) nature of the director does give us peripatetic complexity, but does not come off quite so well as in 'I Can't Sleep'.
This isn't quite a bad film , it is sensitive and at moments tender. Denis' minimal dialogue and hand held camera do give a feeling of closeness. This film just doesn't quite manage to take flight visually, characteristically, or thematically.
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