Lemming
– almost as good as Harry
By Jérôme Patoux
posted August 4,
2006
Lemming is not a
perfect psychological thriller. Whereas French director Dominik
Moll really hit the mark in 2000 With A Friend Like Harry,
a suspenseful, self-contained little gem of a thriller, he
changes recipes for this new movie, with somewhat less success.
The psychology borders the supernatural, and thus loses its
power over the audience. Whereas Harry seemed to live
next door, Lemming slowly drifts farther away from the
realm of our daily possibilities.
However, this being said, Lemming has a lot to offer in
other ways. First of all, it takes place in an original setting:
a clean-cut neighborhood reminiscent of American middle-class
suburbs, the tidy environment of a striving “domotics” [home
automation engineering] company, a young and picture-perfect
couple… a world under control where everything is about to break
loose. Secondly, the script is very well written. A little long
(as are most movies these days), the resolution is not as strong
as the setup, but Dominik Moll and his co-writer Gilles Marchand
definitely understand the importance of timing and resonance,
and play artfully with our mind. Thirdly, the cast is a delight.
The main role of the domotics engineer losing control must have
been written for Laurent Lucas (also Harry’s friend in
2000). André Dussolier delivers his usual role with his classy
smile and white hair (some actors fare better when they get
old). Charlotte Gainsbourg is a frail, genuine, vulnerable young
woman with sensitivity, a perfect counterpoint to Charlotte
Rampling, giving yet another surreal performance as a distant,
cold, and bizarre aging wife. Finally, there is humor. As if to
release the tension, quirky little scenes are interspersed, to
better prepare us for more trouble to come. One of the first
scenes – two generations, two lives, two worlds collide around
the dinner table – is as hilarious as it is unsettling. As in a
good old Alfred Hitchcock thriller, humor might be Dominik Moll
and Gilles Marchand’s best weapon.
©
2006 All content property of European Weekly unless where otherwise
accredited
