TC Candler's Review B

Qui a tuer Papa?

Francois Ozon's '8 Women' is a vividly colorful and entertaining whodunit murder-mystery that boasts one of the most remarkable ensemble casts in the history of cinema. Managing to coincide the hectic and crowded schedules of these eight magnificent actresses (some of whom are the best and most acclaimed French thespians of the past five decades) is a feat in and of itself.

An homage to Agatha Christie plots, this film traps us inside a snowed-in house with eight suspicious women and one dead man. There is a wife, two daughters, a sister, a sister-in-law, a mother, two maids, a few lovers, some gold diggers, a hypochondriac and an unborn baby. Obviously some of those overlap each other.

We go through the obligatory suspicion of each character before the big climax where the truth is revealed. Also, dotted along the way, we are treated to a song and dance number from each of the eight leads. Some are light-hearted and fun - others are wistful and sad. At first, the songs take you off guard and seem a little out of place... but you'll soon get used to it and start to recognize how much fun this all is. It is clearly evident that these on-screen legends are having a blast... one can almost see them smirking as they sing their tunes.

Despite all the light-heartedness and joy in this movie, I couldn't help but feel that it was all too frivolous to be taken seriously as a great film. It raises the question of whether or not pure entertainment can constitute the entirety of a great film. I'm not sure I know the answer to that yet. But I did feel a tad unfulfilled as the closing credits rolled. I knew I'd had a lot of fun... but I don't think I'll ever have the desire to watch it again.

The things I'll remember and treasure the most from '8 Women' are these: Isabelle Huppert's performance steals the show, which is amazing considering the talent around her! -- Emmanuelle Beart's sultry and sexy portrayal of the stereotypical French maid, including the outfit! -- The gorgeous use of color and light to create one of the most visually recognizable films of the decade! -- Virginie Ledoyen's song and dance number! -- And last but not least... the gathering of eight talented & beautiful women who all came together for one uninhibited showcase of French flare.

© Written by TC Candler

How We Rated This Film TC Candler - B Richard Propes -     Jacob Hall -

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