35 Shots of Rum (35 Rhums)

Directed by: Claire Denis Cast: Alex Descas, Mati Diop Running Time: 1 hr 40 mins Rating: Unrated Release Date: March 26, 2010 (limited)

PLOT: Lionel (Descas) and his daughter, Josephine (Diop) have lived as a family unit for years, depending on one another almost exclusively.  But Josephine's a woman now and as her father sees her slipping away, he tries to re-evaluate their relationship and figure out who they are as individuals.

WHO'S IT FOR? Fans of slow building dramas.  Be prepared for a lot of silence and meaningful looks.

EXPECTATIONS: I saw Denis' film Beau Travail a few years ago, so I was looking for wide open spaces and beautiful visuals.  But I knew nothing about the story for this film.

SCORECARD (0-10)

ACTORS:

Alex Descas as Lionel: Lionel is a commuter train conductor (I don't think the name was supposed to be a reference to the toy trains, but it's kind of amusing).  He lives with his daughter outside Paris in an apartment building.  They're very close, he clearly dotes on her, but he seems really sad and it took me awhile to understand why.  Descas gives a very subtle performance and between that and how little is revealed in the script, it really took me the whole film to get a good handle on Lionel.  He seems eager to push Josephine on at Noé, the neighbor she's interested in, but at the same time sometimes he looks at her so sadly.  It's a very quiet but emotive performance that won me over in the end. Score:  7

Mati Diop as Josephine:  In her first film role, Diop shines as Josephine, a very beautiful young woman who's torn between duty to her father and pursuing her own romantic relationships.  Though from the beginning it was clear she cherished Lionel, it took a little while for me to understand that she cared for Noé romantically.  Not until they dance in the cafe did that become clear.  Her performance isn't quite as nuanced as Descas, but it's a great premiere. Score: 6

TALKING: Yeah, there's not a lot of talking.  Way more looking.  But the dialogue is very natural sounding, at least in translation. Score: 6

SIGHTS: The shots tend to be close and intimate and most of the camerawork is handheld.  Luckily, the actors are a very good looking bunch.  I liked some of the train shots, but overall the look tended to be a little drab and dreary. Score: 5

SOUNDS: One of my favorite bands, the Tindersticks, provided the incidental music for the film.  I had no idea about this until I saw the credits at the end.  It blends in nicely, and doesn't stand out.  What was noticeable was the song "Nightshift" by the Commodores which is played during a pivotal scene between Josephine and Noé.  Believe it or not, it's actually really sexy and works great. Score:  7

PLOT SPOILERS

BEST SCENE:  The scene I refer to above, where Josephine and Noé are dancing in the cafe is kind of amazing.  They only end up kissing one another but it's incredibly intense and sexy.

ENDING: The film sort of skips in time, from visiting Josephine's mother's grave to her wedding.  It seemed a little abrupt to me, the whole Josphine/Noé story gets short shrift.  Like it was a tacked on happy ending.

QUESTIONS:  How does Lionel feel about Gabrielle?  How did Josephine's mother die?  What do the titular 35 shots of rum mean to Lionel?

REWATCHABILITY:  Meh.  I could see it again, but I'm not really excited about it.

OVERALL

35 Shots of Rum has a very slow build, it took me until almost half way through the film to get into it.  Once I did I found it pretty rewarding.  Still that's a lot of commitment to make and if I weren't reviewing the film I may have given up before then.  If you have a lot of patience, you may really enjoy this movie.  The performances are good, even though it took me awhile to get where the film was going.  I think that was my primary problem, I had a hard time figuring out everyone's relationships to one another; then figuring out where the film was going.  Though I like a little unpredictability, I also want to know that I have a feel for the characters as people.  I eventually got a hold on Lionel and Josephine, I never really understood the others.  If you think talking is overrated, give it a go.  Otherwise, wait for DVD.

FINAL SCORE: 6/10