"A Single Girl" moves through such a thin line between reality (art) and fiction (entertainment) that it's hard to figure out what director/writer Benoît Jacquot was
intended with such piece. Entertainment can be put aside as the majority of elements and situations brought to us here are real and makes us think about life itself and how
does one deal with countless obstacles through a long day's journey. But on the other side of the coin, Mr. Jacquot throws so many strange and unbelievable
scenarios into the mix one wonders about his actual goal while using a cinema verité style. And it's a pity that he doesn't compromise by being fully realistic
because he had all the elements, the tension to create a great study on loneliness and how does one succeed (or not) in such condition while facing a heartless
world where one has battles all the time and no truce can be found.
It goes as a real-time story is developed revolving the titular girl (Virginie Ledoyen) and a day in her life as she deals with two new and big things in her life: an unexpected pregnancy and how her boyfriend (Benoit Magimel) is going to react to such news; and also her first day at a new job on a fancy hotel where predictability is never part of the game, either dealing with her superiors, colleagues and demanding or needy guests. She's beautiful, so it's obviously she's in high demand by everybody and it's a long stressful morning ahead of her. While the meetings with the handsome, unemployed and zero prospects boyfriend is something one wonders why those two ever connect since it's nothing but disagreements over everything, the routine at the hotel is never dull and it's one epic challenge after another.
The whole film is a strange set of events where we never take our eyes and concentration from the girl. We follow her very closely during her ordeals, in between small talks, plenty of silence and walking on corridors and streets, and any contact she has with another person can be either an attack on her, orders all around, or some small moments of good company. Many erratic things happen almost as if the universe was conspiring for her to fail again (as she had to leave a similar job after suffering harassment from a manager) and with the baby on the way, she needs that job. A frantic environment that doesn't even allow her to show her best side, or fake a smile when needed. Highly stressful bits and the film hits all the right notes in getting the audience's attention. Outside of that realm and with the boyfriend, I kept wondering about their past, as it's quite clear to see they don't have a future. She suffers a lot during the day, and he's the one complaining about everything.
Cinema as a mirror of life where audiences can project thoughts, feelings, questions and get some answers are one of this art's purposes, since things becomes richer, valuable and worthy of study and reflection. I felt this film as being part of a third way, an alternate universe where the unusual mixture of elements becomes a void where one can easily accept the plotless story, and maybe get something more of this. It was too on/off with me and the off parts won. One contrast: why it felt important to have a real sex scene performed while many bits and pieces from work routine felt completely unreal, with reactions that could get her fired on the spot, plus the real mess that hotel management actually is. What's real works, but what's detached from life gets in the way of everything.
At least, Ledoyen has a phenomenal performance, of a high caliber for a newcomer and she owns the movie with many unforgettable moments. You simply don't take your eyes off her. As for the movie, I simply could not accept it as a whole. But almost. 5/10.
It goes as a real-time story is developed revolving the titular girl (Virginie Ledoyen) and a day in her life as she deals with two new and big things in her life: an unexpected pregnancy and how her boyfriend (Benoit Magimel) is going to react to such news; and also her first day at a new job on a fancy hotel where predictability is never part of the game, either dealing with her superiors, colleagues and demanding or needy guests. She's beautiful, so it's obviously she's in high demand by everybody and it's a long stressful morning ahead of her. While the meetings with the handsome, unemployed and zero prospects boyfriend is something one wonders why those two ever connect since it's nothing but disagreements over everything, the routine at the hotel is never dull and it's one epic challenge after another.
The whole film is a strange set of events where we never take our eyes and concentration from the girl. We follow her very closely during her ordeals, in between small talks, plenty of silence and walking on corridors and streets, and any contact she has with another person can be either an attack on her, orders all around, or some small moments of good company. Many erratic things happen almost as if the universe was conspiring for her to fail again (as she had to leave a similar job after suffering harassment from a manager) and with the baby on the way, she needs that job. A frantic environment that doesn't even allow her to show her best side, or fake a smile when needed. Highly stressful bits and the film hits all the right notes in getting the audience's attention. Outside of that realm and with the boyfriend, I kept wondering about their past, as it's quite clear to see they don't have a future. She suffers a lot during the day, and he's the one complaining about everything.
Cinema as a mirror of life where audiences can project thoughts, feelings, questions and get some answers are one of this art's purposes, since things becomes richer, valuable and worthy of study and reflection. I felt this film as being part of a third way, an alternate universe where the unusual mixture of elements becomes a void where one can easily accept the plotless story, and maybe get something more of this. It was too on/off with me and the off parts won. One contrast: why it felt important to have a real sex scene performed while many bits and pieces from work routine felt completely unreal, with reactions that could get her fired on the spot, plus the real mess that hotel management actually is. What's real works, but what's detached from life gets in the way of everything.
At least, Ledoyen has a phenomenal performance, of a high caliber for a newcomer and she owns the movie with many unforgettable moments. You simply don't take your eyes off her. As for the movie, I simply could not accept it as a whole. But almost. 5/10.