Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bittersweet masterpiece, 30 Jun 2005
In some ways, Rohmer is like a French version of Woody Allen in his Bergmanesque period. His films tend to be gently theatrical, and his characters pontificate on the nature of love and life, yet the results are almost always compelling to watch. The plots, such as they are, tend to be bittersweet - nearly but not quite romantic dramas. At times they appear like sex comedies, but that would not be a complete description - the sex is almost incidental to the main themes, as it is here. What makes them stand out is the beautiful and subtle way Rohmer has crafted the cinematic experience. Unlike most modern films, the director does not pander to his audience through simplistic debates of good vs evil, but instead uses emotions to illustrate the motivation of his characters. He uses a full palate of shades and hues to demonstrate the paradoxes, complexities and confusions that occur in real life. And the double-crossing, infidelity and lies, of course. Pauline sur la plage is typical. One of his Comedies and Proverbs series, it shows 15-year old Pauline staying for a holiday at the beach in Britanny with her cousin, Marion, who is about to divorce. And Pauline's naive views about love are challenged by their time together. They meet Marion's friend and former lover Pierre, and also Pierre's peripatetic friend Henri. Marion rejects Pierre and falls for Henri, and also rejects his advice that Henri is "diabolical". But an act of betrayal by Henri implicates Pauline's friend Sylvain and threatens all the relationships. Rohmer conducts the emotional angst as if he were conducting an orchestra. The hurt is raw, yet the final denouement is not unhappy. The director leaves Pauline - and us - with a fine balance between the philosophies of Henri and Marion, a dilemma unresolved yet richly satisfying. You wonder how Pauline decides between the two paths, but somehow it would spoil the illusion to find out.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
One of Rohmer's best films, and the true nature of love..., 16 Aug 2006
"Pauline At The Beach" (1983) is an interesting film that you are likely to enjoy, even if you are not one of Eric Rohmer's fans. If you are already an admirer, though, you will simply love this movie, due to the fact that it displays the reason why Rohmer is such a respected director.
Before talking about this film, a short introduction to Rohmer for those that are not familiar with him is in order. Rohmer (Jean Marie Maurice Schérer, born in 1920 in France) is part of "La Nouvelle Vague" (= "The new wave"), a movement that says that the director is an "author" and that as such, his personal signature is evident in his work. Among the most well-known films of this French director, there is a cycle of films called "Six Moral Tales", a series called "Comedies and Proverbs" (in which each film is based on a different proverb), and a third series entitled "Tales of the Four Seasons".
"Pauline At The Beach" (= "Pauline à la plage"») is the third film in the "Comedies and Proverbs" series, and the proverb around which it is centered is "Qui trop parole, il se mesfait". The plot is not difficult to follow, but it is interesting, specially if you pay close attention to the dialogues among the characters, a Rohmer trademark.
The main character is Pauline (Amanda Langlet), a young teenager that goes to the beach with Marion (Arielle Dombasle), a relative that has divorced recently and is ready for something new, in other words an affair. Pierre (Pascal Greggory), an old acquaintance and Henri (Feodor Atkine), a newcomer, vie for Marion's attention. Pauline thinks that Pierre is the right one for her cousin, but Marion has other ideas, preferring Henri. Henri is not as smitten with her as Pierre, but that, and the fact that he remains elusive, are part of his attraction from Marion's point of view. Pauline will also meet a young boy, Sylvain (Simon de La Brosse), with whom she begins something resembling a relationship. But how will her cousin's love life affect her own? And will their differing views regarding love affect their new relationships?
The dialogue about the true nature of love among Pauline, Marion, Pierre and Henry is one of the highlights of this film. The undercurrents between the older characters are deep, and in that sense, Pauline directness is refreshing. This dialogue also allows the spectator to get at least an idea of how things are going to end for each of the characters, even though, of course, there are some unexpected surprises.
All in all, I think this is one of Rohmer's best films, along with "A summer tale", "A winter tale" and "Boyfriends and girlfriends". Highly recommended!
Belen Alcat
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4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
good acting and dialogue in a visually stunning film,
By A Customer
Pauline A La Plage might,on the surface seem like the naiive effort of a director who is still learning his trade.But this is because there are no special effects and clever one-liners and the acting and dialogue are made to seem spontaneous and real.
The scenery in the film is outstandingly beautiful,and the storyline builds up to a satisfying and touching conclusion.
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