Product: 8 Women (2002)
Rating: 4.0
Agath Christie style mystery with a musical comedy twist
This film is very reminiscent of The Mousetrap, or any other play by the Queen of Crime. Murder suspects all trapped in the house with a dead body, sharp insights into humanity, the slow unravelling of skeletons in the closets... the standard Christie fare. But Ozon has added his own touch to a classic plot with the musical comedy twist, interspersing shocking revelations with light-hearted yet revealing song and dance numbers.This film really brings into sharp relief the fact that people can live together nearly all their lives and yet know next to nothing about each other. The twisting, shifting relationships between sisters and mothers and daughters, the envy, jealousy, and greed...But the occasional flashes of pathos and genius, and the remarkable acting aside, the plot does not hold together psychologically. Once you start analysing the story, it simply breaks down. The crime that is not exactly a crime, the puzzling and all together unbelievable motive behind the whole thing is really a huge put off and an anticlimax after a fantastic beginning and middle. But if you can ignore the disappointing ending, the film is still a solid four stars.For the non-French viewer, be sure to get a version with subtitles for the songs as well. I was disappointed when my VCD didn't come with translations for the songs, which made it difficult to really enjoy them though the music was good.