This is the second movie signed Catherine Corsini I have seen and although « Les Ambitieux" has pretty much in common with « La nouvelle Eve » my response to it was wholly different.
If we compare the two films, the common points are blatant. They both revolve around an active thirty something "modern woman", played by the same actress, Karin Viard.
In "Les Ambitieux" like in "La Nouvelle Eve" the heroine has not come to terms with who she actually is and is not likable.
In both stories the setting is Paris and its irritating elite on the one hand and a provincial town of the North East of France (Auxerre in the first, a place in the Côte d'Or department I could not identify more precisely) where life is less exciting and snobbish but more sensible and unsophisticated.
Each time Viard (Camille in the first film/ Judith in the second one) has an affair with a man (Pierre-Loup Rajot/ Eric Caravaca) who is imperfect but who does something useful for the community (a political party organizer/a writer).
In both cases, this viewer was interested and amused but whereas "La nouvelle Eve" was quickly forgotten, I am sure "Les Ambitieux" will leave its mark on me.
I think the main difference lies not in the subject or the characters but in the way Catherine Corsini deals with them. Shallow in "La nouvelle Eve" (at least to my mind, I am aware not everybody will agree), her approach has become deeper in "Les Ambitieux". In the latter film, this is the same Catherine Corsini, but more mature, showing more ability to look deeply into her subject. Or should I say subjects? For the writer-director examines more than one, such as (mentioned at random): what it means to be a free woman, the cruelty of both TV and the publishing world, the consequences of a childhood trauma, political commitment, getting to know who we are after discarding all that is pretenses, excuses and dishonesty. An ambitious programme, which makes "Les Ambitieux" constantly captivating as Corsini lives up to her ambitions. But don't believe this is only an intellectual movie. Not at all. This is also a one of the best romantic comedies I have seen for long and the way true love is found the hard way to say the least - is very moving.
Is it necessary to say that Karin Viard is wonderful. The range of her acting is amazing and her expressions vary from rage to laughter, from bossiness to fragility, from grumpiness to charm with baffling ease. There are also good performances from Eric Caravaca, excellent as always at expressing the insecurities of his complex character, Jacques Weber who shines as a star TV host and Gilles Cohen in the colorful role of Caravaca's homeless friend.
One of the best French films made for months. Don't miss it.
If we compare the two films, the common points are blatant. They both revolve around an active thirty something "modern woman", played by the same actress, Karin Viard.
In "Les Ambitieux" like in "La Nouvelle Eve" the heroine has not come to terms with who she actually is and is not likable.
In both stories the setting is Paris and its irritating elite on the one hand and a provincial town of the North East of France (Auxerre in the first, a place in the Côte d'Or department I could not identify more precisely) where life is less exciting and snobbish but more sensible and unsophisticated.
Each time Viard (Camille in the first film/ Judith in the second one) has an affair with a man (Pierre-Loup Rajot/ Eric Caravaca) who is imperfect but who does something useful for the community (a political party organizer/a writer).
In both cases, this viewer was interested and amused but whereas "La nouvelle Eve" was quickly forgotten, I am sure "Les Ambitieux" will leave its mark on me.
I think the main difference lies not in the subject or the characters but in the way Catherine Corsini deals with them. Shallow in "La nouvelle Eve" (at least to my mind, I am aware not everybody will agree), her approach has become deeper in "Les Ambitieux". In the latter film, this is the same Catherine Corsini, but more mature, showing more ability to look deeply into her subject. Or should I say subjects? For the writer-director examines more than one, such as (mentioned at random): what it means to be a free woman, the cruelty of both TV and the publishing world, the consequences of a childhood trauma, political commitment, getting to know who we are after discarding all that is pretenses, excuses and dishonesty. An ambitious programme, which makes "Les Ambitieux" constantly captivating as Corsini lives up to her ambitions. But don't believe this is only an intellectual movie. Not at all. This is also a one of the best romantic comedies I have seen for long and the way true love is found the hard way to say the least - is very moving.
Is it necessary to say that Karin Viard is wonderful. The range of her acting is amazing and her expressions vary from rage to laughter, from bossiness to fragility, from grumpiness to charm with baffling ease. There are also good performances from Eric Caravaca, excellent as always at expressing the insecurities of his complex character, Jacques Weber who shines as a star TV host and Gilles Cohen in the colorful role of Caravaca's homeless friend.
One of the best French films made for months. Don't miss it.