Trouble Every Day

More Claire Denis, notably a film of hers post the breakthrough in confidence that was 'Beau Travail'. This is a good film, one that suggest later tropes she will explore in 'White Material'. The sound is wonderful, and the emotional elipses at once curious and sensitive.
Let's start with the performances. Vincent Gallo is the most dominating presence, he is a touch annoying but manages to not get too indie, and keep his striking features in abeyance to Denis. Beatrice Dalle is excellent, as is the always cool, always calm, basically making the same performance but really rather excellently, of Alex Descas.
We have the rather bizarre story, that manages to not be hysterical through the fact thta it's not really the point of interest. When the violence does enter it is not really 'pure violence', it is offset, seen through the lens and seen through the weight of the emotional heavies that have preceded it. The gore and noise bring one to 'White Material'.
What the blood does is give Denis an outlet for her scientific-sensuous exploration of the human body. She at once loves, it, the close tracking shots around skin are wonderful. Yet this care is combined with an almost scientific fascination, notable here in the shots of brain and test tube. Denis' attitude to the body combines here with an exploration of sex and the features of body in the relationship.
This film is perhaps most notable for its lack of dialogue, which was a feature we greatly appreciated. The non-diagetic sound and the focus on the image, on travelling backs of necks and so on intensifies every moment, it does not distract us with idle-talk. In tandem with Denis' own warm intensity of the care she gives to the body, the viewer's senses are heightened as we come to hear what is usually seen as mere ' background noise'. A lesson for others to learn.
This is not Denis' very very best, but it is a good film with some interesting aspects, many new in Denis' work. A curveball seemingly, this is really just the succesful swerve in the road along Denis' excellent body of work.