Starring
Vincent Lindon, Izia Higelin, Severine Caneele, Edward Akrout.
Directed by Jacques Doillon. (2017/119 min).
AVAILABLE
ON BLU-RAY FROM
Review
by Fluffy the Fearlessđ¸
I
know for a fact you can make a compelling movie about artists and
their craft. Reviewing La Belle Noiseuse earlier this year showed me that. Despite being longer than The Ten Commandments,
not-only did that film effectively capture one man's obsession with
his muse, one couldn't help but develop an appreciation for
the artistic process. Rodin isn't nearly as long, but sure
feels like it, without a single flying reptile to liven things up.
Vincent
Lindon is the titular character in this biographical film of the
famous French sculptor. Though commissioned to create a piece based
on Dante's Inferno, much of the film centers on his
relationship with Camille Claudel (Izia Higelin). Not only is she an
artist in her own right - though fame is not forthcoming because
she's a woman - Camille is also his muse, model and lover. It's
a complicated relationship because even though Rodin is obsessed with her, he can't bring himself to leave Rose (Severine
Caneele), the woman he actually lives with (and mother of his son).
 |
| Auguste Rodin accidentally sculpts another ashtray. |
While
aesthetically interesting, Rodin is seldom very involving. The
episodic nature - often with little in the way of transition -
doesn't help, but Auguste Rodin himself isn't presented as someone we
should really care about. He talks an awful lot about his craft and
the inherent beauty of the human form (mostly to Camille). But unlike
the subject of 2014's Mr. Turner, who managed to be likable
despite being sort-of a pig, Rodin mostly comes across as arrogant, narcissistic and pretentious.
In
the end, we don't walk away with a greater appreciation for the man's
craft than we did coming in. Rodin looks wonderful, the
sculptures themselves are interesting and the performances are good,
but this same story was presented with more sincerity - and less
pretension - in 1988's Camille Claudel.
EXTRA
KIBBLES
FEATURETTE:
"Sculpting Rodin"
TRAILERS
KITTY CONSENSUS:
MEH.
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