Product: La Pianiste (Original French Version)
Rating: 5.0
Breathtaking and Intense
This movie is unusual from the beginning. I was so transfixed when I first saw it in the theater that I went back three more times. This is unlike you will see from an American studio. The French, it seems, display more bravado when dealing with controversial topics. The story centers around Erika (played magnificently by Isabelle Huppert), a piano teacher still being treated like a 12-year-old by her mother(Annie Girardot). Erika seems to derive all of her satisfaction in life by means of a piano. When a younger man shows interest in her, she at first, rebuffs him. You get the impression that Erika has never been involved in a relationship with a man before. The problem is, the man,Walter,(also magnificently played by Benoit Magimel), doesn't know what he's getting himself into. The object of his desire performs masochistic experiments on herself, even to the point of drawing blood. (This scene is omitted in the R Rated version.) After Erika has her student attacked she and Walter proceed to have perhaps, the most unusual sex scene you are ever to see on film. The story unravels with her revelation that she wants him to beat her. The catch, ironically enough,is that she doesn't want to be beaten, she wants to be loved. Everything comes to a head at the when Walter beats and rapes her. The apparent moral of this is: don't say anything you don't absolutely mean. And perhaps, be careful what you wish for. Walter, himself, also says something he ultimately doesn't mean. I found the ending unexpected when I first saw it, and I don't want to give it away. You will have to see it for yourself. Isabelle Huppert's performance in this picture is haunting. You sense her character's cold exterior, while simultaneously, sensing her inner vulnerability. The classical music of Franz Schubert is expertly placed in this movie. And it's effect is obvious when you see it. Both co-stars spent a year perfecting the music. There is nothing false about their performances. There are a number of scenes in this movie that can turn your stomach. If you are looking for lighthearted fare you might want to look elsewhere. But if you are intrigued by something complex and daring, a movie that holds no punches, a movie that will have you talking about it after it is over, or if you appreciate first-rate acting, then I highly recommend this movie. It ranks at the very top of my list of favorites, and has made me into a lifelong devotee of Isabelle Huppert. The DVD includes a 20 minute interview with the star.