Claire Dolan (1998)

This film, I may have read, was a French production, and I recognize one actor (the man Claire picks up in a bar for quick sex before dumping)from French films I've seen. It does have that episodic quality of "Vivre Sa Vie," another film dealing with prostitution. Many of the exterior and interior shots were interesting, and while there was a lack of emotion to much of the film, it seemed to give the it character, for better or worse. Some scenes stand out: Meaney's literally dumping the cat out the window (possibly to his/her death), giving an insight into that personage's character; D'Onofrio's being mugged in a rundown area. This seemed realistic, as was his reaction afterward (I once spoke to someone who had suffered the same). A possibly unrealistic touch: Claire's working for a pimp. Even though this is a specific case, from what I have read, escorts at that price range tend to be independent and not beholden to procurers. Also, one of the earlier reviewers commented that "classy" guys wouldn't hire prostitutes. This is probably true of someone who enjoys cheating on a wife, or someone who abuses the girl they've hired verbally and/or physically. But many others are simply lonely and may need relief, preferably with someone younger.

In New York, the Irish expensive prostitute Claire Dolan (Katrin Cartlidge) owes a huge amount to her pimp Roland Cain (Colm Meaney). When her mother dies, Claire moves to Newark, and tries to work honestly as a beautician. She meets the taxi driver Elton Garrett (Vincent D'Onofrio) and they have an affair. Elton falls in love for her and later, when he becomes aware of the situation, he tries to help her to pay her enormous debt to get rid off Roland, while Claire wants to have a baby."Claire Dolan" is an excellent independent erotic movie that presents a touching and very real story. The performance of Katrin Cartlidge is stunning, and she deserved a nominations for the Oscar for her acting as Claire Dolan. I could never imagine that Katrin Cartlidge has such a beautiful body. The excellent Vincent D'Onofrio and Colm Meaney have also great performances. The scene where Roland tells Elton that "a whore is always a whore" is very sad and the inconclusive open end is wonderful for such a good story. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "Claire Dolan"

I've seen Claire Dolan in Paris in the theatre. It is a very brutal film, but also very powerful. I think that the director is talented, although the ending left me wanting a bit more. It's a very honest film about prostitution, and sometimes chillingly real. I was disturbed by the violence. It is very well done, with great, believable actors.

"Claire Dolan" is the kind of film which will have very limited appeal. It's tells of a call girl's struggle to build a new, more conventional life for herself. The drama is so bleak it will likely bore those who cannot tune into the compelling psychodramatic undercurrents. It's an austere but artful shoot as well with an emphasis on geometry and deemphasis on color. Even the script is minimalistic as the characters speak in direct, abbreviated, and clipped dialogue. With no "feel good" ending to be found, the film is likely to be a turn off for most. However, there's no denying it's an excellent piece of work.