Clean (2004/Palm)

 

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

 

 

Maggie Chung is Emily Wang, a music industry savvy and involved young lady whose life is being eclipsed by drug addiction in Olivier Assayas’ Clean (2004), one of the better dramas of late to deal with that issue and how it affects both her life and those around her.  It gets so bad that she eventually loses custody of her son to her parents and it is her father (Nick Nolte) who comes to get him and try to save them both.

 

Those expecting Nolte is repeating himself on screen (Paul Schrader’s Affliction) or off screen bad media attention, he instead plays a man who wonders who he may have affected his daughter’s path and race is implied as an issue.  The counterculture is gone, but she is still trying to live in it and the lie of that (as in the way big business and cut-throat has ruined the artistry of that industry) is a subtle critique of the whole space of their lives private and commercial without any Marxist pretext.

 

Though not a perfect film, it is a reasonable drama that feels real and Assayas’ screenplay is never condescending or runs into major troubles.  That is not easy, but Chung is an underrated actress and Nolte is one of the few actors who could have pulled off the deep pain and possibly regret of his character.  Recommended.

 

The anamorphically enhanced 1.85 X 1 image is a little soft at time, but the solid look of the film and color consistency make up for any shortcomings.  Colors are subdued often, but not idiotically so.  Cinematographer Eric Gautier, A.F.C., makes some good shot choices with Assayas throughout, making this more watchable than many indie and foreign productions we have seen in recent years.  The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is nothing spectacular, but it has consistent surrounds and the choices of songs meld well with in the mix.  Extras include the trailer for this and a few other Palm releases, plus interview segment with the cast and crew.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo