A family has strange problems in Annette, the latest from director Leos Carax.
The family was doomed to abnormality from the beginning. The parents, Henry and Ann, are stand-up and opera stars, respectively, so their romance was rabidly documented by the media and framed as a fairytale-like narrative. They’re two actual people, though, and while their relationship can’t live up to those lofty standards, they do love each other and have a child. It’s this young person, little Annette, who really throws their lives off-balance and takes them down a dark path.
Or something like that happens. Look, Carax isn’t known for making straightforward films (did you see the impressionistic weirdness of Holy Motors?), and this trailer is more about establishing a stylish mood than a plot. And it does look absorbing, with fantastical images of romance and hints at shocking horror that causes both Henry and Ann’s lives to fall apart.
Then there are the headliners, Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard as the central couple, just two of the best actors working today. They’ll draw in people who may not know what they’re in for, so I’m half expecting a Mother!-esque response of confusion and frustration upon this film’s release. That doesn’t mean it will be bad (Mother! was bad but for reasons other than its weirdness). It’ll just be…different, and those prepared for what they’re walking in to might find a treat.
Annette is directed by Leos Carax and stars Adam Driver, Marion Cotillard, and Simon Helberg. It is set to open the Cannes Film Festival on July 6th, 2021. Further release dates are not currently known. Distribution deals are largely done, though, so don’t expect too long a delay.
Will you get lost in this film? Let us know in the comments!
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