Me and My Sister (2004)

The film "Les Soeurs fachees" is very moving. It really comes alive because of the two extraordinary lead actresses. Especially the wonderful Isabelle Huppert. She is amazing the way she can express emotions, during the movie, without saying a word. You can read it all in her beautiful face. During the movie you get to know, nearly in every scene, how different these sisters are. The cold, unhappy Martine and the nice and friendly Louise. It proofs how important are goals for you life, and it's never to late to change something,to become happy. A wonderful true french film, refreshing, charming, sad, might make you laugh and cry. Loved it. I would definitely recommend it to everyone who loves great cinema with talented actors, and dislikes Hollywood Studio Movies.

Despite occasional overacting, this movie contains some interesting psychological and sociological insights. Most of the situations are plausible, even when they contain stereotypes. Although Martine's character could be construed as vicious and riddled with over-the-top intolerance, in the end she arouses more pity than contempt. Her younger sister Louise, fresh from the provinces and utterly devoid of sophistication and savoir-faire, in the end turns up trumps, a modern version of Andersen's ugly duckling. All the minor characters appear credible, as they witness with patient puzzlement the increasingly hysterical outbursts of the Parisian sister. A subtle touch is provided by Martine's unprepossessing little boy, who should be, but isn't, the logical comfort to his mother's depressive condition. If there is a moral to this fast-paced middle-class comedy, it is that no intelligent woman should sentence herself to merely being a wife and mother. Louise, on the other hand, has twigged this, and triumphs in the end.

If the readers will forgive a personal note (which I usually don't indulge in), Les soeurs fâchées is the last of the 10 films I watched in the Hong Kong International Film Festival, a good mix comprising 2 French, 2 Japanese, 3 Chinese and 3 American. Depending on the viewers' mood, Les soeurs fâchées can be enjoyed as a light comedy surrounding, or a deeper probing into the characters of the two sisters. Whichever way you choose to look at it, you would first notice the deliberate contrast between sophisticated city creature Martine (Isabelle Huppert) and awkward provincial out-of-towner Louise (Catherine Frot). The irony is that Louise who never seems to know where to put her hands is never really out of control while Martine who is so composed is a walking time bomb, liable to fly off the handle any time the snapping point in reached.Sibling rivalry is, as often, in the root of things. Although the background is kept vague (maybe intentionally), we see and hear enough to know that the sisters, back at the time of their humble origin, were very much alike, failures in the regular education system and generally abandoned by their mother. Martine presumably acquired her present status through marriage while Louise stays at pretty much the same level of the social scale.And here comes the strangest thing: it's Martine who becomes furiously jealous of Louise on just about every score. First, Louise has become a self-taught writer and just got her first book published (reminds me of the poor chap in Sideways). And then, Louise has reconciled with their mother while tough as she may try to look, Martine must be longing for that same reconciliation which has somehow eluded her. As a final straw, while Louise had enough guts to break away from a marriage that didn't work out and followed her own desire, Martine found that her own husband has not only been fooling around but is also doing it with her best friend. Nothing seems to be particularly original in terms of story and plot. But when put together in the crisp, witty script, acted by two superb actresses and packaged with beautiful shots, lucid editing and well chosen music, the film becomes a vastly enjoyable experience.

First of all, the DVD of this film is now available in France ( Sept 10th 2005 ) It contains both French and English subtitles ( wonders will never cease !! ) plus numerous boni which are subtitled in French only !Although French cinema had a heyday in the thirties, forties and even the beginning of the nineteen fifties, the general criticism applied to it at the end of the twentieth and first years of the twenty first century is that the films are "mou" or flabby. There may be a good idea now and then in the initial premise, but that doesn't necessarily make for viewer satisfaction in the "salles de cinéma" if the film itself is not carried out in a vivacious and lively way.Happily, there are exceptions that confirm the general rule and "Les Soeurs Fâchées" is one of them. With a very limited plot ( one lady from the provinces making a visit to Paris and staying with her sister there ) the director has given us 90 minutes of excellent character study and percussive, cutting dialogue !! Both Catherine Frot and Isabelle Huppert put in truly magnificent performances in this film and let me assure the would-be spectator that there is not one boring moment ! Isabelle Huppert, beautifully freckly and good looking though she is has always had a tendency to interpret twisted, unhealthy or perverted characters in her films ... and this film is no exception. Her character is very unpleasant, intolerant, "coincée" or sexually repressed, impatient and unbearably snobbish .... I can confirm this is typical of a majority of Parisians to a greater or lesser degree !! Enter Catherine Frot, "la provinciale" adorable, friendly,spontaneous, natural, "naive" by Parisian standards, who has written a book and hopes to have it published by the parisian editor Grasset. Catherine Frot represents the simple, good-natured and uncomplicated, and unsophisticated person from the French provinces who is totally removed from the world of Isabelle Huppert but brings a breath of Fresh air into her stressed parisian life.This difference between Paris and the provinces really does exist and although the characteristics are exaggerated in the film, I found it to be not that far removed from reality. There are moments when Huppert DOES realise she has an awful character, and repents but a few minutes later, this is forgotten and she's on the warpath again ! I am not sure whether the film would be that interesting for someone who does not live in France and does not know this profound difference between the parisian and provincial mentalities. When you have witnessed this first hand, the film with its dialogues takes on all its importance. The humour ( as such - as I don't know whether one can really call it humour - though there are a few moments where you smile ) vaguely recollects that distilled by the film "Tatie Danielle". If you've seen and appreciated the humour of the latter, then there are chances that you will appreciate this effort.The dialogues of the film are surprisingly violent at certain stages and the spectator may be surprised or even shocked !! An excellent actors' performance in my opinion - and I would love to know how the film will go down in other countries !!!