Isabelle Huppert, Laurent Lafitte, Anne Consigny
Paul Verhoeven’s (Showgirls, Black Book) Elle met with rave reviews at this year’s Cannes. Never one to steer from controversy, Verhoeven sets this rape revenge narrative against an unexpected backdrop of mordant comedy and erotic exploration.
We meet Michèle (Isabelle Huppert) in her Parisian home as she is raped by a masked intruder. The next day she goes to work as usual, and is revealed to us anew as the powerful, emotionally infallible CEO of a gaming company. More gradually, we learn about her complex personal life and dark family history – including her father, an infamous criminal whose acts continue to haunt her, offering a deeper psychological backdrop to Michèle’s desire to turn the tables and wreak violent revenge on her attacker.
Some may take issue with Michèle’s unconventional response to her rape. But Verhoeven is making the point that this is very much an individual story rather than a universal narrative; the film belongs to Her, or Elle. It’s a provocative, incendiary, brazen study of unacceptable desires, with a virtuoso performance by Huppert, and looks set to be one of the must-see arthouse titles of the year.
