The Housekeeper

 

Picture: B-     Sound: B-     Extras: C     Film: B-

 

 

Sometimes a film is not great, but is consistently entertaining and smart.  Even when you can see what is on the way some of the time, there is something to be said about keeping a film going.  By this time, the longtime French journeyman director Claude Berri (Germinal, Jean De Florette, Manon Of The Spring) should know something about keeping a film going and that is what saves The Housekeeper (2002) from some of its shortcomings.

 

Can Jacques (Jean-Pierre Bacri) move on with his life after his longtime marriage fell apart?  One way he thinks he can get things organized and cleaned up in his haze of disappointment is to hire some help at home.  Thus, a maid sounds like a good idea.  When the much younger Laura (Emile Dequenne) shows up, he first thinks that she is too young and he can stay professional, but pleasure begins to supplant business and neither is sure where it will go next.  He insists she still gets a place of her own, but does not necessarily mean it.  Things get additionally interesting when the wife later enters the picture in unusual ways.

 

It helps that these characters are well developed and likable, played by actors who are definitely cast right.  One of the most important things Berri and his four co-writers (Brigitte Catillion, Catherine Breillat, Jacques Frantz, Axelle Abbadie) have avoided Melodrama all the way.  Christian Oster’s book was the basis for this film and the ladies who were involved likely enhanced a story that had more of a male point-of-view.  The result is, even when sometimes guessable, more naturalistic women to match the suffering male lead.  The Housekeeper is a mature film from a mature director two cares, so see it with moderate expectations and you will not be disappointed.

 

The anamorphically enhanced 2.35 X 1 image is nice, with consistent colors and clarity, with the only exception that fine detail is slightly off, especially when people and objects move.  This suggests some PAL digital source and/or slight digititis hazing from the telecine transfer work.  Otherwise, this is good.  The film was a theatrical DTS and Dolby 5.1 release, but sadly, only a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is included.  For all the work that was done to make the picture look good, too bad DTS was not here to go all the way.  As it stands, it is not bad, and this is a dialogue-based film.  There are also trailers for several Palm Pictures titles including this one, some weblinks, and a fairly good Making Of featurette.  In the end, the film delivers just enough to make it work a look and those with home theaters might find some unique qualities in the color schemes.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo