Total Film & Sight & Sound Magazines Review Bel Ami
OK, so the reviews are starting to come in.  These two below are not good overall & very harsh in parts. Bring on the positive ones that praise Rob properly for his brilliant talent.
Total Film:
Guy de Maupassant’s second novel, about an unprincipled cad who rises in Belle Epoque Parisian society using women as stepping stones, has often been adapted for the screen, most famously by Albert Lewin as The Private Affairs of Bel Ami in 1947, with George Sanders in the title role. Lewin, a cultured Francophile, did a handsome if over-wordy job, but at 41 Sanders was too old for the role, and the Hollywood censors, much to Lewin’s annoyance, imposed a moralistic ending in which the cad meets his deserts in a fatal duel. Hard to think of anything more out of keeping with Maupassant’s novel, which exudes the urbane cynicism for which the writer was famous.
The new version has no truck with such sanctimony. Rachel Bennette’s script offers a faithful rendition of the original, up to and including the ending with Georges Duroy (the amorously ambitious ‘Bel Ami’ of the title) relishing his triumph over the shallow, corrupt society that he at once despises and personifies. Although it is well-grounded in its period – Budapest locations convincingly impersonate 1890s Paris, and rampant French colonialism in North Africa provides a murky political backdrop – the film’s themes feel remarkably topical. An Arab country is invaded for ostensibly high-minded motives, political parties denounce each other’s policies while surreptiously adopting them, the press attacks the corruption from which it profits, and a young man of no discernable talent attains celebrity thanks to a pretty face and a plausible manner.
Joint directors Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod, here making their feature debut, are best known for their work with Cheek by Jowl, the avant garde theatre company they founded in 1981. If Bel Ami occasionally feels airless and overly art-directed that may partly reflect the period it’s set in, but also the directors’ over indulgence in facial close-ups.  It’s almost as though they didn’t trust their actors to express emotions in mid-shot – the last thing you’d expect from theatre directors. This does Robert Pattinson as Bel Ami no favours, since in close up his face tends to lapse into the bovine (Michelle: WHAT? – bovine? Seriously?  That is not a word that should ever be used in association with Rob) but at further remove he gives an alert amusedly insinuating performance. A scene where he plays tap with his soon-to-be lover Clothilde (Christina Ricci, appealingly kittenish) and her little daughter brings out the boyish charm that stands him in good stead with the Parisian ladies. Even so he is outpaced in the acting stakes by his trio of lovers, Ricci, Uma Thurman as his mentor and subsequently his wife, and Kristin Scott Thomas, touchingly vulnerable as his boss’s wife. As Thurman’s Madeleine notes, unwittingly setting Georges on his unscrupulous path to the top, in this seemingly male dominated society the really important people are the wives – and the same goes for the film.
Thanks to pattinsonlife for the tip.
17 comments on “Total Film & Sight & Sound Magazines Review Bel Ami”
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pear
I dont know. They didn’t sound negative to me. ”but at further remove he gives an alert insinuating performance” I’ll take it..
Roberta
Not good ones! The one thing I can say not the most credible critics, not the ones I honestly care for…. one sentence above all, the close-ups are bringing up Pattinson ‘bovine’ face look?!?! What kind of critic would say something like that???? If he doesn’t look attractive he might even look more real, isn’t it?!?… I don’t know…. Won’t rely on such comments to my humble opinion….
Michelle
I completely agree Roberta. Bovine?? That is the most insane comment I have ever heard & one that should never be used in association with Rob. The comment is just ridiculous & downright rude. Rob has the most expressive face I’ve ever seen & especially close up. A negative then followed by something positive – talk about contradicting yourself. Only way to get a proper review of the movie is to see it for ourselves, we speak the TRUTH. Rob is brilliant as Georges in the footage we have been treated to so far & just imagine him in all his full length movie glory. I don’t understand how anyone could see any different & the close ups of him – the word I would use is heavenly. People always have to hate for some reason *shakes head*
Sue
‘bovine’ …… jealous much? I’d like to see the face of the reviewer ~ then we might be talking ‘bovine’!!! Fortunately we’ve all seen enough of this movie to know that he’s talking crap (can I say that?) ~ and while I”m at it, I can’t take any critic seriously when they refer to Rob as R-Pattz ….drives me nuts!
I clearly woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning ………
Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!
Michelle
UGH I cannot put into words how much I LOATHE that stupid name. I can’t even bear to type it. Yep you can say crap Sue lol. Only time I ever take serious notice of reviewers is when they give an honest review.
Thanks Sue, Happy Valentine’s Day all!
Vicky
WTF, bovine???????? Addressing Rob by that name is just ignorant and really, how can this article be taken seriously after that!! I think I’ll stick my instincts on what I’ve seen so far and keep an open mind, something so many fail to do!!!!
Happy Valentines Day all :)!!
shell
Gah. She’s calling Rob a cow?! Haha, yes, I know it can also mean dull.
I swear some people just mustn’t pay attention; Rob has one of the most expressive faces I can think of.
Anyhoo, I’m still going to see it … several times … I wonder if a lot of reviewers may be too scared to come out in praise of Rob. Unfortunately, perhaps his attachment to a franchise like Twilight will make it too “uncool” for reviewers to give credit where it’s due.
Maria
LOL at all the comments re bovine.
I think she meant to say “fox” and decided to use the wrong thesaurus. Ok I too know it can also mean dull. Dull? Are they sure they saw the current version and not the Angela Lansbury one *giggles*.
Anyway I agree with Pear – although they seem somewhat negative – they contradict themselves with comments like “he gives an alert insinuating performance” and’ “showcases Pattinson’s ambition if not his full abilities” – hmmm so you KNOW he’s capable of more. Anyway let’s not forget he was only 23 when he filmed this.
I’ll take them too since they aren’t completely writing him off.
Anyway like I always say ‘haters gonna hate”.
And @Shell I agree re “uncool” – lucky for us we aren’t “bovine” by nature baaaaa baaaaaaa
shell
oh bloody hell, i just noticed the subheading on the first article.
how the hell am i supposed to concentrate now that i have the visual of him taking his daks off …
@Maria … bovine we are not 😉
Val
I don’t know much about film critics or critique-writing-style but…. 🙁 to comment on the appearance of an actors’ face, because it’s close-up, rather than just critique the style of filming, strikes me as a little odd, or personal somehow? I admit I did laugh incredulously though, as I was ignorant about the use of the word bovine meaning anything other than cow, lol! And there you have it. This amazing place educates me once again 😉
Lol @shell, I bet they thought they were super clever & funny coming up with that subheading – why did they stop at that? Could’ve just simply said “R-Pants”? Good point too about his age @Maria. Has anyone talked about that in any reviews so far?
Sue
LOL @Maria re wrong thesaurus ~ ‘fox’ I’d understand!
Carmel
I think ‘‘bovine’ may have been The Word of The Day or something becuase I don’t understand it’s use re Rob’s face at all. Especially when the next sentance praises Rob for exactly the opposite.
Roberta
All I can say I only wish I had such a bovine looking man close to me today: Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!!!!!
Vertigo
Oh wow did they say LOTS of close ups?! wahoooooooooooooooooooooooo
Vertigo
You too Roberta. Happy Valentines day. 😀
Maria
Gold @Roberta absolute Gold
Happy Valentine’s Day all.
shell
@Val “R-Pants” freaking brilliant!
@Vertigo – lol, I know, right? bring on those close-ups. mmm.