Sitting in on a Conversation with Marion Cotillard

 

Marion Cotillard at NYFF

One of the most graceful actors on screen today, Marion Cotillard is a rare example of simple and delicate beauty as well as profoundly perceptive, nuanced cinematic portrayals. Last Sunday, I finagled my way into the Film Society of Lincoln Center's Amphitheater to sit in on a conversation with the Oscar-winning actress, part of the 2014 New York Film Festival’s free live event series. The talk served as a precursor to a screening of Cotillard’s latest film, Two Days One Night, directed by renowned Belgian filmmaking brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, in which she plays a young mother battling depression, who has just one weekend to convince her co-workers to let her keep her job.

In a chat with interviewer and Variety critic Scott Foundas, Cotillard discussed her process, her inspirations, and her latest project. My takeaways from the conversation below:

On working with Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne:

What struck me most about them was how well they had organized everything. They had left plenty of time, a full month, for rehearsals, which is unusual for a low-budget film. It was really helpful because it allowed us all to explore and for me to go deep into my character. But really, Jean-Pierre and Luc gave me everything I’d want in terms of a relationship with my directors: the creativity, the challenge. It was one of my best experiences.

On getting immersed into dark roles, then stepping away from them post-filming:

I sometimes get asked when I’m going to stop living the lives of people who are so “messed up.” (laughs) But I unfortunately, or fortunately, love doing them.  Sandra, my character in Two Days One Night, has a history of depression. Sometimes, she’d burst into tears mid-conversation for no apparent reason other than her dark past. I needed inspiration to understand how and why this would happen, so I started researching and scripting my own dramatic scenes for preparation, just for myself—the directors didn’t even know about them! But they helped me get to those emotions during the tough scenes.

La Vie En Rose was the first time I went so deep for months into the body and spirit of someone dark. After that, I realized that I need a process to get back to my own life, something like a detox. It’s hard, but it can be as interesting as the process of getting into a role.

On watching herself on screen:

I feel like it’s important to see my work. It’s part of the entire experience of making a film, and I also do it out of respect for the director’s work. The first time I watch my own film is especially hard because I don’t actually watch the movie. I’m too busy judging myself, which I do very harshly. The second time around, it’s easier to watch the movie—that being said, if I really didn’t like myself during the first watch, I won’t watch it again! Two Days One Night I haven’t seen and I don’t know if I will. The process of making it was so intense that I don’t think it’s even possible for me to watch it as an audience.

Cotillard plays a young mother battling
depression in "Two Days One Night"

On “celebrity:”

It’s a very weird thing. I don’t think you can ever be prepared for it. When people began to recognize me after Taxi, I used to literally run away—not something I’m very proud of doing! But now, I’m used to it and I do like a lot about it. It’s a different connection to people, many people you may never meet, with a story that touches them. But it was my childhood dream to be unrecognizable from one movie to another. So for me, it’s more about that, as well as the opportunity to explore more than my own culture. I’ve been Polish, Italian, Belgian, even a non-living person! It’s been everything I wanted and more.

On keeping at it during the tougher years:

There was a phase in my early 20s when getting work, at least the type of work I was ambitious to get, was hard. I was questioning my patience because I always wanted more even though I was lucky to be working and many of my friends weren’t. I viewed my ambition as negative at first, and wondered if acting was useless. If you think about it, it is a very strange job. Especially since I tend to choose such heavy material and let it consume my life. Then, a director asked me point blank, “why do you do this?” And after thinking about it, I just replied, “Because I feel alive when I do it.” (laughs). So I guess it really isn’t all that useless after all.

On actresses she admires:

I’m inspired by a lot of people. I love Toni Collette. When I saw The Hours, I couldn’t recognize her. She completely disappeared into her role. She’s a genius. There’s also Meryl Streep, she’s the master, isn’t she? I’ve always loved Greta Garbo. And then there are the younger prodigies, Jennifer Lawrence and Adele Exarchopoulos, from Blue is the Warmest Color. I’m always very moved when a newcomer gives such amazing things at such a young age.

On next steps:

­I don’t really have a strategy for how I go about my films. I read scripts, meet people, and when I feel I have a place in an adventure, that’s when I go along with it. It’s funny: in the past, whenever I’ve felt a particularly strong need to express a specific emotion, a movie and character comes along that allows me to do just that.  A few years ago, I had been feeling a certain need to channel anger. And then A Very Long Engagement happened. It’s never planned; I’m lucky that it just happens.  I’d love to do more comedy. That would be fresh air and a departure from my comfort zone. And then, I also have stories I’ve really wanted to tell, with French actresses I’ve always wanted to work with. So direction could happen. It’s definitely a desire growing inside me.

Indie Movie Preview: October 2014

After a brief, end-of-summer hiatus in September, it's time to gear up for the films hitting theaters this fall! We're smack in the middle of festival season, and that means a whole new spread of exciting indies to feast on--or, if you're not careful, the risk of drowning in the sheer excess of mediocre content also floating around in the mix. As always, my goal is to help sift out the gems from the junk. Sadly, not all of them get released where I live, so if you happen to watch any of them, do comment below with your own reviews and I'll live vicariously through you. That said, here are my picks for must-see October releases...

Gone Girl

Release Date: October 3

Director: David Fincher

Starring: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry

What’s the story? When Nick Dunne’s wife Amy vanishes on their fifth wedding anniversary, he initiates a town-wide search party and enlists the help of detectives.  But when the details surrounding her disappearance grow increasingly murky, speculations of murder grow, with Nick himself becoming the prime suspect.

My take: Whatever the term is for the movie equivalent of a book that you just can’t put down, that’s what Gone Girl needs to be, no questions asked. Taking on Gillian Flynn’s 2012 international best seller (8.5 million copies is no joke) that captivated even the thriller-averse likes of me, director David Fincher had his work cut out for him to convert the gripping page-turner into an equally enthralling film.  I confess, I initially resented the casting choice of Ben Affleck as the leading role (really, couldn't they have gone with someone less mainstream?), but on subsequent reflection, he’s actually pretty perfect for the clean-cut, morally ambiguous, husband-in-distress whom you want desperately to trust. After months of anticipation for the film, I’m in equal parts nervous and psyched to see if Fincher's version can satisfy a story so many of us have long visualized in our own minds. 

Whiplash

Release Date: October 10

Director:

Starring: Miles Teller, J.K Simmons, Paul Reiser, Melissa Benoist

What’s the story? Determined not to succumb to the mediocre career that was his father’s fate, talented young drummer Andrew Neyman enrolls in a prestigious music school to hone his craft. But, mentored by an instructor whose merciless teaching methods often spill into abuse, Andrew finds himself pushed to the edge of the deep end, straddling the line between perfectionism and insanity.

My take: Thanks to my interest level in the Divergent series (read: nonexistent) in which he recently had a part, my only exposure to Miles Teller thus far has been his turn as Ren MacCormack’s goofy sidekick Willard in 2011’s Footloose. While that was fun and all, I’m looking forward to seeing him reveal his range as a laser-focused drumming prodigy here, a leading role that’s earned him resounding praise at Whiplash’s showings at Sundance and Cannes earlier this year.  Watching him berated & bullied, even slapped, in the trailer by a cutthroat J.K Simmons, is enough to make one wince in both sympathy and horror. With its fairly straightforward story, Whiplash’s success seems to rest on its impact as a performance-driven film depicting the ugly side of ambition.

Dear White People

Release Date: October 17

Director: Justin Simien

Starring: Tyler James Williams, Tessa Thompson, Teyonah Parris, Brandon P Bell

What’s the story? Student activist Samantha takes to her campus radio show to call out racial stereotypes. As she broadcasts her views against the diversification of a traditionally all-black dorm, her life intersects with three other individuals on campus navigating, criticizing, even exploiting the culture of university race relations.

My take: Judging from the steady flow of snarky quips dished out by lead character Samantha in the trailer (i.e. “the minimum requirement of black friends needed to not seem racist has just been raised to two. Sorry, your weed man Tyrone doesn’t count”), debutant director Justin Simien’s feature comedy is primed to simultaneously shock, amuse, and make us think. And judging from its “Audience Award” at the San Francisco International Film Festival and “Breakthrough Talent Award” at Sundance, among others, Simien’s no-holds-barred satire of the politics of race has evidently struck a chord with viewers. I love the idea of a film that’s brave enough to take an often sensitive and polarizing issue and uses its volatile energy to appeal to our collective senses of humor. I’ll be watching this both as entertainment and as a study on one brave individual’s unique approach to address a 21^st century society in which racial prejudice and stereotyping is still far from obsolete.

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Release Date: October 17

Director: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Starring: Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Edward Norton, Andrea Riseborough, Zach Galifianakis, Naomi Watts, Amy Ryan

What’s the story? Adapted from Raymond Carver’s stage play What We Talk About When We Talk About Love, Birdman follows an aging, has-been celebrity once celebrated as a on-screen superhero, as he attempts to reclaim his fame, career, and dissolving family by starring in a Broadway play.

My take: I admit, the oversized CGI birds in the trailer make me nervous as to just how bizarre things are going to get in this film. However, Birdman, for all its hints at being some sort of enigmatic and supernatural satire, nonetheless looks to be a fascinating critique of the fickle and unforgiving film industry, as well as a poignant story of one man’s battle to remain relevant in a world that seems to have moved on. Plus, there is just no way I’m not watching a movie that’s earned a 9.0 rating on IMDB, is made by the guy who gave us Babel, is already vibrating with Oscar buzz, and has Emma Stone and Edward Norton and Zach Galafianakis in it. Lots to look forward to here.

Men, Women & Children

Director: Jason Reitman

Release Date: October 17

Starring: Rosemarie DeWitt, Jennifer Garner, Judy Greer, Dean Norris, Adam Sandler, Ansel Elgort, Kaitlyn Dever

What’s the story? High school teens and adults struggle to maintain their relationships, both with others and themselves, in the face of the Internet’s ever-expanding power and contemporary society’s alarming tendency to live out most of our lives online.

My take: Like many, I was automatically intrigued by Men, Women & Children’s trailer: a dialogue-free, no-voiceover compilation of scenes contextualized only by mysterious, sometimes suggestive text messages exchanged by the characters. While unusual for a preview, it’s a clever way for director Jason Reitman to set the tone of this novel-turned-film. Tapping into a phenomenon that has become commonplace in our everyday lives, he shines a glaring light in the promo itself onto the irony of our increased digital interactions resulting in diluted real-life intimacy and a greater sense of loneliness. If so much can be established in a two-minute trailer, imagine how it all plays out in the full-fledged feature. We’ve seen cinematic explorations of hitting a technology saturation point in films like Her and Transcendence, but Jason Reitman’s unique way of infusing humor with darkness—not to mention the eclectic ensemble cast he’s assembled—will hopefully lend Men, Women & Children a compelling perspective.

Boyhood

For most filmmakers, one of the biggest narrative struggles is finding a way to distort—or evade altogether—the depiction of the passage of time.

That’s not the case for Richard Linklater, who doesn’t just embrace the elusive concept with a profound understanding that few of his contemporaries can match, but makes it the very core of his work. We’ve seen him do it before, revisiting Jesse and Celine at progressive intervals through their lives in the Before Sunrise trilogy. But never before has Linklater captured the essence of growing up with such graceful authenticity and fluidity as in Boyhood.

It’s difficult to assign the film a synopsis. The word often implies a story heavy with construction, and forces us to condense it into a single sentence that cleanly encompasses its major events. But there are no major events in Boyhood. No “a-ha” moments, no brewing struggles that crescendo into a dramatic climax, no tidy denouements. There’s just the gentle observation of a young life and of the lives around him. I even hesitate to call him the male lead, as portraying a character seems to be the last thing the remarkably natural Ellar Coltrane is doing here. But technically, that’s what he is.  

He plays a pint-sized Mason when we first meet him, grinding rocks through pencil sharpeners and collecting snake vertebrae—as any six year-old boy would. Over the next 164 minutes, we watch him become a high school graduate through snippets from his life, interlaced with those of the lives around him.  The product of a divorce, Mason and his older sister Samantha (Lorelei Linklater) are shuttled from city to city within Texas, following their mother Olivia (Patricia Arquette) as she goes back to college and stumbles through a series of toxic husbands, and reconnecting with their father, Mason Sr. (a hammy but perfect Ethan Hawke), on weekends and holidays.

By many accounts, it’s an all-American childhood, each year a fifteen-minute collection of memories: the kids reading Harry Potter in bed with Olivia. A particularly amusing conversation on contraception with Mason Sr. Perfecting s’mores by a campfire. Cracking voices. Teenage girlfriends. Part-time jobs. They’re not necessarily milestones, just moments, made special by the simple virtue of being part of life.

The years flow seamlessly, without captions of clarification or prolonged black screens that blatantly declare the passage of time, but with transitions that are more organic—a character turning a corner, a passing comment about a recent news event, Mason’s ever-fluctuating hair length. Everything is historically accurate by default, from computer models and political campaigns to the music accompanying the chapters, each tune a reminiscent throwback to its era (think Coldplay of the early millennium, up to "Summer Moon" from Jeff Tweedy's still-unreleased album).  Like scribbled notes, the moments are disconnected, compiled in a cinematic scrapbook that chronicles the evolution of not just a young boy, but of an entire family. Linklater is keenly in tune with their growth along with Mason's, from Olivia’s turbulent relationships to Samantha’s middle school crushes and Mason Sr.’s own maturation from a responsibility-shunning, accidental dad to a remarried and graying owner of a minivan. It’s as much a tale of childhood as one of parenthood or even sisterhood, not a singular transformative story but the trajectory of many, each character’s arc as real as it gets without slipping into nonfiction.

But at its heart is the boy. Mason is a slight shadow of a being during his first ten years, the nonchalant background observer as Samantha steals scenes with her pre-adolescent sass. But as he explores where to stand on the vast spectrum of the people he could become, he gradually takes steps to the forefront. Glimpses of passion and purpose reveal a budding personality: a preference for photography over football. A disdain for the digital invasion of human interactions. The quiet kid, whose ambivalence we at moments worried for, has become sensitive, receptive, and a real individual, evoking a wistful pride that can only come from the unique experience of having watched both Ellar and Mason come of age before our eyes.

Some months ago, mere days before the film’s release, I attended a Q&A session at Manhattan’s 92^nd St. Y with Coltrane and Linklater, the latter confessing his “extremely low standards” for what qualifies as a film; according to him, anything can be turned into a story. What was cited self-deprecatingly as a flaw is actually a rare gift: the ability to view ordinary incidents through an understated yet distinctive lens that doesn't elevate or inject them with contrived sentimentality. We appreciate them simply by watching. What would appear corny in anyone else's hands is, in Linklater’s, thought provoking and deeply touching. In this literal and figurative labor of love, he is guided by his gentle intuition to let human journeys unfold, rather than the motivation to impart a weighty message about them.

 Moreover, he makes his brand of storytelling look deceptively easy, effortlessly weaving improvised dialogue into predetermined plot points that camouflage the sheer conviction, commitment, and yes, the time it took to realize this vision: less than 40 days of principal photography sprinkled over 12 years, a production conceived on a shoestring budget, shot on film, with little foresight into the distribution landscape upon its completion, and driven by the collective leap of faith of its cast and crew. Transporting us into this family’s life, the 2+ hours pass in waves of humor and heart-tugging nostalgia. At one point, Mason and a new friend contemplate the popular notion to “seize the moment,” realizing that in truth, it’s the moments that seize us. In Boyhood, those moments are fleeting portraits of poignancy, constant in their presence and their transience. Like in life itself, they melt into years that suddenly, somehow, go by in the blink of an eye.

Indie Movie Preview: August 2014

So far so good with my promise to keep up with my monthly movie preview series! (Let’s just ignore the minor detail that that means pretty much nothing, considering that this is only the second one).  We’re heading into the prime of the “dog days of summer;” and while there aren’t a whole lot of options at the theater this August to help beat the heat, I’m looking forward to five releases that may provide some respite. Here are the indies* lighting up the marquees this month!

First time here? Check out my July 2014 preview for an introduction to this series, wherein I also clarify what I consider to be “indie.”

What If

Release Date: August 1

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Zoe Kazan, Adam Driver, Rafe Spall

What’s the story? The Boy Who Lived becomes the Man Who Loved as Daniel Radcliffe swoops into straight-up romcom territory in this story of a fellow who falls for his best friend, though she happens to be seeing someone else.

My take:  If the plot sounds predictable to you, I can’t disagree. But I’m looking forward to Radcliffe taking on a more “normal” post-Potter role in which he’s not blinding horses or being accused of murder. After graduating from the wizarding world of Harry Potter, he has stripped on stage in Equus, sprouted Satanic prongs in Horns, and dabbled in hipster-era debauchery in Kill Your Darlings; in short, he’s (only partly successfully) done everything in his power to render his wand-wielding days a distant memory. If you’re anything like me, you still find it challenging to see him as anyone other than Harry, even three years after the final film. But along with the character, the loyalty he inspired from me in that beloved series has also carried over since he said goodbye to Hogwarts. And so, whether I’m convinced by his performance in this film or not, I’ll be watching and rooting for it anyway.

The Trip to Italy

Release Date: August 15

Starring: Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon, Rosie Fellner

What’s the story? Four years ago, Steve invited Rob to join him on a journey through northern England to review the country’s finest dining establishments. This time, they’re taking their volatile bromance on the road again, driving and dining their way from Liguria to Tuscany in an exploration of Italy’s culinary and cultural treasures. 

My take: I haven’t yet seen The Trip, the much-loved 2010 precursor to this movie—though I’ve had it on my Netflix queue for the last two years, so my intentions are good! Yet, from the looks of it, that isn’t a prerequisite for enjoying the leading duo’s second excursion. Films focused on travel, food and friendship never really fail that miserably to begin with, and anything involving Steven Coogan (last seen in the extremely likeable Philomena) is probably worth watching. Couple that with his natural chemistry with Brydon, their shared gift for comedic timing, and the promise of many close-up shots of pasta, and I’m guessing The Trip to Italy will be one to remember.  

Frank

Release Date: August 22

Starring: Michael Fassbender, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Domhnall Gleeson

What’s the story? Aspiring musician Jon thinks he’s on his way to stardom when he joins a pop band. When he realizes that the group’s lead singer is a man who insists on permanently wearing an oversized, paper mache head, he begins having second thoughts. But at that point, he may be way too in over his own head to back out.

My take: The last time I saw Michael Fassbender on screen, he was ruthlessly whipping slaves into bloody submission as plantation owner Edwin Epps in 12 Years a Slave. I think it’s safe to say that Frank, with its kooky plot and deadpan humor, is a bit of a departure from that. Most intriguing is how, with that giant mask obstructing his facial expressions—which I would think are essential to effective acting— Fassbender might use other tools to deliver a convincing performance. If he can pull this off, it’ll be yet more proof of his limitless talent.  And from the film’s positive reception at this year’s Sundance and SXSW festivals, it looks like he can rest his case on that point. I’ve got to see this.

Love is Strange
Release Date: August 22

Starring: John Lithgow, Alfred Molina, Marisa Tomei

What’s the story? After over 40 years together, Ben and George finally get married. But their plans for happily ever are quickly botched after George loses his job; the couple is forced to sell their apartment and live separately until they can find a new home, all the while struggling with the adjustments of their host families and the woes of being apart.

My take:  Be it the ever-so-relatable “unforgiving New York real estate” angle, the unique handling of concepts like long-distance love and intergenerational family dynamics, or the rare focus on an elderly gay couple, there are plenty of reasons to be taken by the looks of this film. Known for stories that are less plot-driven than they are character sketches, director Ira Sachs has ably handled subjects like the hardships of marriage and homosexuality in previous films such as Married Life and Keep the Lights On. He therefore seems firmly in his comfort zone here, while seasoned actors like Lithgow, Molina and Tomei look poised to do those characters justice. From where I stand, this looks like a sensitive, reflective, and gently humorous look at love story gone slightly askew.

The Congress

Release Date: August 29

Starring: Robin Wright, Paul Giamatti, Harvey Keitel, Jon Hamm

What’s the story? A has-been actress, on the verge of becoming completely obsolete agrees to do one last job, but things become way more complicated than she anticipated when the project presents life-altering repercussions.

My take: My desire to see The Congress comes, more than anything, from the fact that I am utterly baffled by it. The trailer comprises a bewildering amalgamation of nostalgic references, futuristic effects, post-apocalyptic worlds, a dash of inexplicable animation, and some very blurred lines between fantasy and real-life. I wish I had a more cohesive explanation for it all. Considering that this movie is made by Ari Folman, the same man who gave us 2008’s Oscar-nominated documentary Waltz With Bashir, I’ll just trust that there’s surely a greater meaning behind all the enigmatic madness. The curiosity to discover it is enough reason to watch the film—well, that, and the fact that Jon Hamm is supposed to be lurking around somewhere in there.