OK the main actress play is great and we feel her despair, broken personality, troubles and inability to cop with others. But there are too much holes in the scenario. How did she first get in this spiral ? How did she get out if ? What happened to the money ? Why is she arrested, and why is she arrested only after (presumably) many years ? We are supposed to feel for a girl we know very little ; we thus turn into mere voyeurs and have hard time to really connect. There are no complete connections between the young girl, the teenager and the woman.
10 Reviews
Excellent patchwork tale missing a few seams.
TrTm3166 October 2023
This could have been superb, but films with fragmented nonlinear timelines require more care to tie the pieces together than we receive in Orphan. It's a drama depicting major traumas in one character's life, but in reverse time order, inside a wrapper that begins and ends in current times.
Portrayal of the progressively younger main character Renée/Sandra/Karine by Adèle Haenel, Adèle Exarchapoulos, and Solène Rigot were excellent as expected, and young Vega Cuzytek played the child version, Kiki, with skill far beyond her years. Technical aspects of the film were fine.
But completely lacking is anything that provides a causal link from Kiki's experience to her mindset and behavior as Karine. I interpreted Kiki's trauma as one of misadventure, and not one in which blame is due. Nothing in the film shows otherwise. And the drastic change in personality and behavior of her father is given unacceptably short shrift. The end of Karine's tale, her transition to Sandra, and the transition from Sandra to Renée also could have been depicted more explicitly, but the gist should suffice.
Other than that, once viewers understand that these women and girl are the same person, the film is accessible. And unlike some folks, I interpreted the final scene as redemptive, with Renée facing up to what is required of her while having hope and honest intent to return to her newest responsibility when she can.
It's worth watching!
Portrayal of the progressively younger main character Renée/Sandra/Karine by Adèle Haenel, Adèle Exarchapoulos, and Solène Rigot were excellent as expected, and young Vega Cuzytek played the child version, Kiki, with skill far beyond her years. Technical aspects of the film were fine.
But completely lacking is anything that provides a causal link from Kiki's experience to her mindset and behavior as Karine. I interpreted Kiki's trauma as one of misadventure, and not one in which blame is due. Nothing in the film shows otherwise. And the drastic change in personality and behavior of her father is given unacceptably short shrift. The end of Karine's tale, her transition to Sandra, and the transition from Sandra to Renée also could have been depicted more explicitly, but the gist should suffice.
Other than that, once viewers understand that these women and girl are the same person, the film is accessible. And unlike some folks, I interpreted the final scene as redemptive, with Renée facing up to what is required of her while having hope and honest intent to return to her newest responsibility when she can.
It's worth watching!
The sum less than its parts
Ladiloque8 April 2021
Indeed we have 3 out of 4 good stories in this movie. Unfortunately my favourite beauties/actresses of this ensamble (A. Exarchopoulos and G. Arterton) got the bad one with a terrible script/direction: confusing while paradoxically serving more as the link among the stories than as a (good) story itself. Paradoxically, because it should be the part that gives consistency to the plot, but it's the opposite.
Why x did that? And what happened to y? Why? It's better you don't ask yourself too many questions because you won't get an answer from the movie, resulting in a general detachment from what you see.
3 stories out of 4 are nonetheless potentially good/great (Orpheline refers to their uncertain origin I guess?), with good or even great acting (A. Haenel giving birth scene is a must watch) but they are too short and underdeveloped.
Pity because - as a lover of women - I would really like to give a higher vote.
And it's not simply a matter of screenplay: it has nothing relevant going on and the characters aren't certainly intellectuals! Any line can be changed in a thousand ways and nothing would really improve-worsen.
I blame instead the director who could not recognize how bad the final result is compared to the potential he had in his hands in terms of plot and cast. He could have gotten away with a 4 hours version (1 hour per actress) but as it is it's just a curiosity and a fan-watch.
Why x did that? And what happened to y? Why? It's better you don't ask yourself too many questions because you won't get an answer from the movie, resulting in a general detachment from what you see.
3 stories out of 4 are nonetheless potentially good/great (Orpheline refers to their uncertain origin I guess?), with good or even great acting (A. Haenel giving birth scene is a must watch) but they are too short and underdeveloped.
Pity because - as a lover of women - I would really like to give a higher vote.
And it's not simply a matter of screenplay: it has nothing relevant going on and the characters aren't certainly intellectuals! Any line can be changed in a thousand ways and nothing would really improve-worsen.
I blame instead the director who could not recognize how bad the final result is compared to the potential he had in his hands in terms of plot and cast. He could have gotten away with a 4 hours version (1 hour per actress) but as it is it's just a curiosity and a fan-watch.
A very interesting movie
searchanddestroy-11 April 2017
You may think about David Fincher's BENJAMIN BUTTON, but on a lesser scale, of course, when you see this French film telling the story of a woman during the four major steps of her life. Child, teen, young woman and a little later. And those phases are shown through four different faces, four different faces. A splendid cast which emphasizes a moving but very sad tale that will let no one unaffected. Adèle Haenel and Exarchopoulos are both outstanding in two of the female's faces. And the editing did not bother me at all. But I am afraid that many audiences will avoid this film. Sure, this is not a comedy and this dark side of the characters can be depressing to many folks. such a shame. I highly recommend it.
very annoying movie
sixgale13 November 2017
Frankly its very annoying movie. You will not understand anything. Excepted the brilliant and sexy Adèle Exarchopoulos this movie really suck. Its pleasure to see her playing and moving anyway but all other actor are really out. Trust me this is a worse movie "à la française" with no beginning and no end, a very uninteresting story. Go outside playing with your kids your dog you will have better life moment than this scrap movie.
Too difficult to figure out, but once you do ...
Solnichka18 February 2021
Warning: Spoilers
It's an interesting concept, and only the thread of Gemma Arterton's character makes it comprehensible ... but that moment does not come until the film is almost three quarters done-and then you want to rewind and start over. Should have been a little easier to figure out, perhaps? Anyway, the acting is the best thing this film has going for it, particularly Adèle Haenel, Adèle Exarchopoulos, and Solène Rigot. The men in the film are props for the telling of the feminine narrative(s) overall, and without these three outstanding performances by the women, the film would never work as well as it does. Yes, there's a plot flaw (or six), but whatever-all films have that problem, really. And the Kiki storyline could have used more development, for sure. The ending is not what I would have written myself at all, as it implies a problematic, self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts that somewhat defeats the whole purpose of the narrative device itself. But maybe that's just me. It's beautiful to look at, and the women actors above make it all worth it. You still will be thinking about this film days after you've watched it, and maybe that's the best compliment a filmmaker can hope for in the end.
Adele Haenel can't save this
spikethepunch10 March 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Incredibly dull movie, I felt I watched a movie about nothing at all. How was she involved in a murder? What happened to the little boys? I understand some things in movies are meant to be inferred, but there's nothing here, no message here. Just a terrible disconnect between the stories.
Sleazy mindless waste
tomwar-311 December 2023
Well-known actresses in a sleazy sloppy fragmented excuse of a plot that makes no sense and goes nowhere. Character portrayals and behavior are sketchy and totally unconvincing, dialogue mindless, with crater size holes in the plot. The old males are all creepy and disgusting. How did this film get released? Why do I have to say anything else to submit this review? This film is unwatchable after barely 15 minutes. I feel sorry for attractive actresses to be so abused by appearing in this film. Couldn't they tell from reading the script that what they were getting themselves into? I am saving you time with this warning.
Lost The Plot
derek-duerden4 September 2023
Warning: Spoilers
You know how some books start out really interesting and then follow the "wrong" character or plotline? (Personally, I remember one that started out as a somewhat-transgressive affair but suddenly switched to being a courtroom drama half-way through after he was accused of something - which was *much* less interesting than the direction I was expecting...)
Here, I felt similarly cheated. There's a very interesting setup (IMHO) with Gemma Arterton playing nasty, and Adele Exarchopolous being brilliant as usual, with Adele H trying to hold it together. However, after a while, there's this other young woman (who? Is she a younger version of one of the others, as she ends up meeting the same guy as Adele E...? Or someone new?? I never worked it out.). Then, there's this other new girl going through very tough times - again, is she a younger version of the earlier characters? If not, why am I supposed to care and be following all this?? Then (finally), we're back with Adele H - but where are Gemma and Adele E? Again Adele H is going through difficult stuff but it all seems pretty self-inflicted so, again, I'm not sure why I'm supposed to care while I'm waiting to find out what happened to Gemma and Adele E.
And then it ends.
If it weren't for the first third, I'd say it was terrible. I'm prepared to concede that I may have missed major clues that link all this together and if I get the emotional stamina to try and watch it again I may revise this view. But be warned meanwhile...
Here, I felt similarly cheated. There's a very interesting setup (IMHO) with Gemma Arterton playing nasty, and Adele Exarchopolous being brilliant as usual, with Adele H trying to hold it together. However, after a while, there's this other young woman (who? Is she a younger version of one of the others, as she ends up meeting the same guy as Adele E...? Or someone new?? I never worked it out.). Then, there's this other new girl going through very tough times - again, is she a younger version of the earlier characters? If not, why am I supposed to care and be following all this?? Then (finally), we're back with Adele H - but where are Gemma and Adele E? Again Adele H is going through difficult stuff but it all seems pretty self-inflicted so, again, I'm not sure why I'm supposed to care while I'm waiting to find out what happened to Gemma and Adele E.
And then it ends.
If it weren't for the first third, I'd say it was terrible. I'm prepared to concede that I may have missed major clues that link all this together and if I get the emotional stamina to try and watch it again I may revise this view. But be warned meanwhile...
Disjointed
davek285 September 2023
I'm watching this on Mubi in the UK and I have to admit that I have pretty much no idea what is happening at any point. There seem to be several separate films joined together for no reason. Despite the cast including several of my favourite actors, I'm constantly on the verge of abandoning it. It's not like there is anyone to get attached to or sympathise with, and I can't see any connection between the episodes aside from guest appearances by certain characters. I'm giving it 5 out of 10 as a sympathy vote as I think I'm probably missing something. Finally, for character length, it's interesting and refreshing to find Gemma Arterton in a French film.
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