Destinées sentimentales (Les)

Also known as: Les Destinées, Sentimental Destinies, Sentimental Destiny
Genre: slice-of-life drama
Director: Olivier Assayas
Release: 2000
Studio: Arena Films, CAB Productions, TF1 Films Productions et al. – Wellspring
Rating: -
MBiS score: 8.4/10


Lives Battered By The Winds Of Change


LES DESTINÉES SENTIMENTALES takes place in Charente (the west central region of France famous for cattle and cognac) and its story begins circa 1900. The Protestant community of Barbazac, smallish in numbers and surrounded by a vast Catholic majority, faces a new kind of crisis: marital problems between its pastor, Jean Barnery (Charles Berling), and his wife Nathalie (Isabelle Huppert). According to some of the Faithful, Nathalie has been seeing another man but nobody knows for sure. What everyone hopes for is a resolution of the issue, and the sooner the better. With Emmanuelle Béart (Pauline), Olivier Perrier (Philippe Pommerel, Pauline’s uncle), Dominique Reymond (Julie Barnery Desca), André Marcon (Paul Desca, Julie’s husband), Alexandra London (Louise Desca) and Julie Depardieu (Marcelle).

The word ‘epic’ is often associated with extraordinary stories that involve numerous characters and issues of great import but, as the Canadian Oxford Dictionary tells us, it also applies to ‘an exceptionally long and arduous task or activity’. In this light, the fascinating LES DESTINÉES SENTIMENTALES can be considered an epic on a personal if not universal scale. Jean Barnery’s life was indeed tumultuous. Over a thirty-year period, the film follows him and two local families of entrepreneurs, the Barnerys (porcelain makers by trade) and the Pommerels (a group of distillers). Considering the life-changing events he will face during his time (personal and family crises, a World War, the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression), you can only admire his will and resourcefulness.

French moviemakers often take pains to depict people at work (were they painters, psychologists, farm labourers or sculptors) and, in the present case, Olivier Assayas shows us some of the effort required to make fine porcelain and quality spirits; as director and screenwriter (with Jacques Fieschi), he also delivers a splendid adaptation of Jacques Chardonne’s novel. His actors − without exception! − serve him excellently. Charles Berling, for one, has built himself a great career and his acting here attests to his stature in Gallic cinema. As for the radiant Emmanuelle Béart, I won’t reveal how she fits into the story (as tempting as it may be) but Pauline’s role is deserving of her formidable talent. Isabelle Huppert also shines as a tough-minded woman and Olivier Perrier’s screen presence is noteworthy. Dialogues ring very true, whether they speak of love, business or life in general, and visuals are simply sumptuous. If you choose to see this film (and I sincerely hope you do), its lightning start may confuse you temporarily but its three-hour length will give you ample time to catch up… and the spectacle is never boring!

While writing this review, I stumbled upon the terms ‘humble’ and ‘grandiose’ in my trusty dictionary. Normally, I wouldn’t dare use them both to describe a movie but, then again, LES DESTINÉES SENTIMENTALES doesn’t care much for antonyms and lexicology. This rare film simply moves on… and brings us back to the priorities of life.


MBiS

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