Friday 23rd February, 2018
130 mins.
Dir: Paul Verhoeven
France 2015
Cert 18
Starring: Isabelle Huppert, Laurent Lafitte, Anne Consigny
No stranger to controversy, Paul Verhoeven has come up with a stunning and provocative study of devious erotic games and dark, inadmissible desires that demands to be seen. Often described as a rape revenge drama, “Elle” is not quite that; in fact it downright refuses to be categorised! The film centres on Michèle, head of a videogames company, who is raped by a masked intruder in her own home. Her immediate response is to get on with her life as if nothing has happened. Although it is clear that she refuses to see herself as a victim, this is by no means the full story. As we find out more about Michèle’s personality, her family background and her work we gradually get to understand how she has become the person she is. As both nerve-racking thriller and darkly comic satire “Elle” provides plenty of food for thought and further discussion.
Download the full show notes here
Reaction Scores
