Product: 8 Women (2002)
Rating: 5.0
8 femmes, one murder, great fun!!!
Franois Ozon (Criminal Lovers, Gouttes d'eau sur pierres brlantes) has outdone himself with his deliciously entertaining comedy/mystery/musical. With a cast to kill for, beautifully colorful settings and costumes, and a fun musical number for each of the 8 women, you can't go wrong.At an isolated mansion in the snowy countryside of 1950s France, a family has gathered for the holiday season, but before the festvities can begin, their beloved patriarch is brutally murdered. The killer can only be one of the eight women closest to the man of the house. Was it his miserable wife, his spinster sister-in-law, or his shrewd mother-in-law? Maybe it was the insolent chambermaid or the loyal housekeeper? Or could it possibly have been one of his two daughters? A surprise visit from the victim's sister sends the household into a frenzy, encouraging hysterics, exacerbating rivalries and encompassing musical interludes. Comic situations arise with the revelations of dark and twisted family secrets. Each woman is a suspect, each has a motive, and each has a secret. One of them is actually guilty.This wonderful whodunit offers a parade of every name-brand French actress of the past half century and the real thrill is watching icons like Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert, Danielle Darrieux and Fanny Ardant break into song. The songs, all French pop hits ala "Moulin Rouge," are all about longing and secret wishes long suppressed, and that gives the film a bit more gravity than you might first expect.The screenplay by Ozon and Marina de Van, based ona play by Robert Thomas, is mesmerizing in its manipulation of facts, truths, mistruths, lies, deceptive acts, secrets, and revelations. The secrets are revealed slowly, and although somewhat predictable, they still manage to shock and bewilder. The film takes a twist toward high camp in the second half, but it is all done tastefully and in good fun.Lavish production values, brilliant cinematography, and energetic performances alone make this film a must. One of the best films of 2002, this was definitely snubbed for a Best Foreign Film Oscar nomination. It's a great film ...