A Hot, Beautiful Mess

Hallie Borden discusses what's playing at the Facets Cinematheque. Weigh in with your opinion in the comments section.

Christophe Honoré's La Belle Personne manages to strike a rare mix of being incredibly interesting and not at all enjoyable. The French high school melodrama modernizes the 17th century novel, "La Princesse de Cleaves," and takes great artistic liberty with its classical storyline. What makes La Belle Personne so fascinating is its complete detachment from any of its characters. Such a Shakespearean plot often calls for full involvement and empathy from the audience. Instead, Honoré encourages the viewer to look from afar with discerning eyes. La Belle Personne is a story of manic infatuation, star-crossed lovers, death and suicide, and passionate affairs, yet it is almost impossible to care about anything at all while watching. There is no chemistry in any of the romance, no drive in any of the obsession, and no tears shed over the lives taken. With this void, the tragedy is transformed into a commentary on the frivolity of melodrama.

What makes it so interesting is exactly what makes it so dreary and unentertaining. It's remarkable that La Belle Personne can elicit nothing stronger than a shoulder shrug during its dramatic climax, yet leave such a lasting impact after its conclusion. For that reason alone, it is worth seeing. (And the dreamy Louis Garrel doesn't hurt either.) If you're looking for something a tad more fun, however, try Honoré's previous work, Dans Paris.