La Lectrice (1988)

One SHINWA has made some scathing remarks about this film, and has passed judgment on the script as well as the direction and even the motivation of the leading actress who (in company with the rest of the cast) gives a most satisfying and believable performance. The character does not indeed refuse to read Sade for her client, she declines to give a second reading of it to an audience including two other men, invited by her client without prior consultation. SHINWA goes on to accuse the character of duel standards because she refused to read Sade, yet earlier leaps into bed with one of her clients; they are both adult and both play the game, she exercises her will as an adult woman in both this and the Sade episode, and I don't know where SHINWA'S notion that the actress bares her crotch has come from, certainly not from this rather wonderful and light hearted film. I can only think that Shinwa considers this film to be unworthy because it fails to meet the high intellectual standards of Shinwa. Unfortunately for all the people who think this way, films are made for anyone to enjoy and must therefore stoop a little every now and then as well as excel. Believe me, this film has nothing to apologize about, it is a beautiful little romp, and the music (composed by a first class bloke who knew what he was doing)is a true delight and so very fitting.

This is a slightly bizarre film, a bit like a pretentious European soft porno movie from the 1970ies, minus the sleaze. I have seen it before in a dubbed version, back when it first came out, and didn't get it -- the movie relies heavily on the original dialogue. This time I saw the French version, and, although I still can't say that I managed to penetrate into the story's every nook and cranny, I can testify that the dialogue is quite witty, the wit is farcical, and Miou-Miou is adequately sensual. And that's more than you can say for most movies these days. It won't make it into my personal list of desert island films, but I'm genuinely glad to have given it another go.

This low budget French movie is not bad. However, it is highly recommended for a very specific public only, especially those involved in and fans of literature. Marie (Miou-Miou) is in bed with her mate reading a book. There, she fantasizes being the character Constance, a woman who offers her services in reading books for peculiar costumers. The story is so flat, the soundtrack is monotonous and even the genre of this movie is difficult to be defined. Is it a romance, a drama, a comedy, art-movie? I respect the viewers who enjoyed it, but for common public this movie is boring. Better off reading the novel. My vote is five.Title (Brazil): "Uma Leitora Bem Particular" ("A Reader Very Private")

The Gallic pseudo-sophistication runs pretty thick through this wafer-thin comedy, featuring Miou-Miou as a woman who decides to make a profession out of reading aloud to people. What transpires, of course, is that her sensuality and life-affirming giddiness enter into and transform the texts for her clients. It all has a certain well-measured charm, even if the whimsical wordplay gets overbearing quite often, and ultimately it loses this charm when it is decided that the character Marie is maintaining her dignity when refusing to read aloud pornographic material by de Sade for a geriatric judge and his friends, while finding no moral objection in allowing herself to be seduced by another client. At this point, the movie, which had been discreet in its treatment of sexuality, suddenly whacks the viewer in the face with closeups of the actress's naked crotch, and the whole exercise starts appearing more conspicuously misogynist: ultimately one gets the sense that neither the character nor the actress is in on the joke. This is not aided by the gratingly winsome yet flaccid performance by Miou-Miou, who does not thrive in this kind of role - there is really nothing to play here. There is really nothing to watch, either.