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Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘The Party's Over' Review: South of France-Set Satire Follows an Escalating Class Conflict
'The Party's Over' is a mostly entertaining satire that follows the escalating conflict between an entitled rich couple, the Trousselards, and the Azizis, the husband and wife they employ (off the books and at less than market rates) to look after their luxurious holiday home. Both families have young adult daughters, near in age, albeit not in circumstance. Compared to a similarly-themed film such as 'Parasite,' it lacks the sharpness of plot and empathetic characters that would make it truly memorable. Nonetheless, the piece has a number of things going for it: top actors obviously relishing their roles, some amusing dialogue, a lovely villa location in the south of France and an attractive musical score by Clémence Ducreux that sounds both serious and mocking. Festivals and screening platforms rep the most likely venues outside of French-speaking countries to host the 'Party.' Snobbish, self-important Philippe (Laurent Lafitte, suitably obnoxious), a lawyer given to throwing obscure Latin locutions into his everyday speech, and his former actress wife Laurence (the elegant Élodie Bouchez) welcome young law graduate Mehdi (Sami Outabali, the most sympathetic character), the latest boyfriend of their wannabe actress daughter Garance (Noée Abita). That Mehdi comes from a different – and lower– social class is immediately obvious. Not only has he worked his way through school as a waiter and delivery boy, but he lacks the social graces of his hosts. From their point of view, everything he does is slightly off, from his clothing choices to his hostess gift to his conversation. More from Variety Neon Takes North America on Jafar Panahi's 'It Was Just an Accident' Mubi Buys Jafar Panahi's 'It Was Just an Accident' for Multiple International Territories (EXCLUSIVE) Lu Chuan on U.S.-China Tensions, New Projects 'Puffer Fish Girl' and 'You Are My Daughter,' Plus 'Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Wildlife Park' Doc (EXCLUSIVE) For the Trousselards, cushioned as they are by their money, seem to feel that those in service to them should be at their beck and call. Thus, Philippe feels justified in interrupting the Azizi's birthday dinner celebration for their daughter Marylou (Mahia Zrouki) to get Tony (Ramzy Bedia) to fix a clogged sink. And Laurence feels free to tell Tony to refrain from going about his chores shirtless and to ask his wife Nadine (Laure Calamy, delightful) to be careful of smears when she cleans their windows. The Trousselards don't hesitate to dispense unsolicited advice to Mehdi, too. Laurence explains that the reason that Philippe's firm hires sons of lawyers as interns is because they have confidence and know the milieu of the clients. She tells Mehdi that he is too polite and apologetic. When Philippe's condescending manner finally provokes Tony, who likes a drink or two, into an attack that Philippe considers unforgivable, he decides to dismiss the Azizis. But Tony and Nadine prove resistant. As tensions rise, Mehdi offers himself for the dangerous role of go-between, to negotiate a settlement between the warring sides. Along the way, the screenplay aptly skewers Philippe's type, the sort of man who delights in cooking the produce of his organic garden, pairing expensive wines with his meals, yet doesn't know the correct temperature at which to wash a load of whites. The acting profession also comes in for a few jabs. Laurence launched her career as a skimpily-clad ingenue. When Mehdi tells her the name of his father's favorite film, she notes wryly, 'That film captured the male imagination. But don't worry, I've made some with clothes on too.' To prepare for her first role, Garance tries and fails to summon tears, but by the film's end, she finds that she can make them flow all too easily when recounting a fiction of supreme importance to her family. Helmer Cordier assembles an ace ensemble, whose acting choices are always fun to watch. A particular standout scene comes when Calamy insists that Bouchez (who also lounges by a pool in a swimsuit in the Directors' Fortnight opener 'Enzo') join her in a hot tub. 'Party' marks Cordier's fourth feature. It screens in the Directors' Fortnight 20 years after his feature debut, 'Cold Showers.' Best of Variety The Best Albums of the Decade
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Aisha Can't Fly Away' Review: Buliana Simon Stuns in Morad Mostafa's Intriguing if Uneven Immigrant Tale
In Morad Mostafa's austere and captivating feature debut 'Aisha Can't Fly Away,' the title says it all. An absorbing and at times, puzzling blend of genres ranging from drama to body horror tells the story of an African immigrant who both craves something more and deserves a lot better than the hand she's been dealt. But like a caged bird, she can't escape her cruel and imprisoning circumstances. Played by a terrific Buliana Simon in a precise performance of stoic poise, Aisha is a 26-year-old Sudanese caregiver, tending to the needs of the elderly, helping with their medication and keeping up their apartments. Residing as an immigrant in the bustling city of Cairo, in the tough neighborhood of Ain Shams (where Mostafa has spent his childhood and teenage years, and therefore captures with an insider's lens), she is often observing and narrowly surviving the disorder and violence that erupt in the streets. Her only chance for safety is to cut a dirty deal with the hard-nosed gang leader Zuka (rapper Ziad Zaza). Early on, we watch Aisha as she leaves the apartment she works at for the day, after she makes a copy of the house key to later pass onto Zuka. This is a regular arrangement between the two: Aisha would steal house keys, and Zuka would provide her protection in return. More from Variety 'Resurrection' Review: Bi Gan's Extravagant Act of Surrender to the Seductions of a Century of Cinema 'The Party's Over' Review: South of France-Set Satire Follows an Escalating Class Conflict Cannes Directors' Fortnight: 'The President's Cake,' Iraq's First Film at the Festival, Wins People's Choice Audience Award As in the film 'Promised Sky' (which premiered alongside 'Aisha' in Un Certain Regard at Cannes), Mostafa's film focuses on an African woman alienated and left without options on her own continent. Frustrated and often exhausted, she spends her days and nights in a near-autopilot mode, doing what's expected of her and barely getting by, only to find her job in jeopardy after one of the clients whose key she's duplicated gets brutally attacked by Zuka's people during their robbery. The employment agency will only allow her to keep her position if she agrees to switch houses and become the caregiver of the slimy and predatory Mr. Khalil (Mamdouh Saleh). When Aisha refuses his sexual demands and asks to be transferred, her employer just dismisses her plea (despite hers not being the first complaint about him). She must accept his sexual abuse as part of her nursing duties, or else look for a different job. Heartbreakingly, she complies. When a strange rash develops on Aisha's body, the film gradually adds confusing body horror elements to its tapestry. A dash of surreal symbolism is also in the mix with Aisha occasionally running into an intimidating (sometimes violent) ostrich in the streets and houses where she works. The bird, with its menacing stance, is surely a figment of Aisha's imagination. It's not quite clear what these fantasy sequences are supposed to symbolize: Could it be Aisha's own growing internal strength as a bird, as teased in the title? Realized with impressive makeup work and effects, the bumpy and worsening rash around her torso suggests that she might be morphing into something akin to an ostrich. While these elongated sequences prove effective, they come across as a tortured and distracting metaphor — the real-world horrors of Aisha's situation speak clearly enough for themselves. Despite his iffy handle on mixing tones and genres, Mostafa nevertheless steers the layered and chaotic world of 'Aisha Can't Fly Away' with a painterly lens, thankfully avoiding a sense of visual romanticization in the midst of her lead's dire circumstances. Crowded sidewalks, dusty roads and a densely populated city spread out in the background, while cinematographer Mostaga El Kashef stays close to Aisha's face, underscoring her silent perceptiveness. In her thoughtful portrayal of a young woman with no good prospects, Simon articulates Aisha's resolute headspace distinctly, commanding the screen with her sharp, uncompromising gaze. The gifted actor consistently deepens and intensifies the atmosphere of 'Aisha Can't Fly Away,' infusing it with a haunting and dangerous quality. At times, the film leans into needless miserabilism, but Mostafa fortunately gives Aisha (and the audience) some breathing room, reminding us the small pockets of peace in her world through some underdeveloped but very welcome side characters. One of them is a chef (Emad Ghoniem) who often feeds Aisha with a generous plate of food. The other is a friend (Maya Mohamed) who is a reliable part of Aisha's tiny circle of support. The film is at its strongest when intimately keeping its lens on Aisha's tangible struggles, while organically contextualizing the modest instances of goodness in her life in contrast with the dire political backdrop of the region. On the whole, Mostafa delivers a worthwhile and intriguing character study, with disquietingly memorable images that startle even when they occasionally overpower the human drama at the film's center. Best of Variety The Best Albums of the Decade
