Nathalie... (2003)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Anne Fontaine

Writers:

Philippe Blasband (original idea)
Jacques Fieschi (writer)

Release Date:

7 January 2004 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Can you ever control another person's sexuality?

Plot:

Nathalie is the name a Parisian prostitute assumes for a special mission or "private investigation."...

Plot Keywords:

Prostitute | Sex | Hotel Room | Unfaithful Husband | Mother Daughter Relationship

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Fanny Ardant	...	Catherine
Emmanuelle Béart	...	Nathalie / Marlène
Gérard Depardieu	...	Bernard
Wladimir Yordanoff	...	François
Judith Magre	...	La mère de Catherine
Rodolphe Pauly	...	Le fils
Évelyne Dandry	...	La patronne du bar
Christian Aaron Boulogne	...	L'homme d'un soir (as Ari Päffgen)
Aurore Auteuil	...	La patiente de Catherine
Idit Cebula	...	Ghislaine
Sasha Rucavina	...	Marianne (as Sacha Rukavina)
Macha Polikarpova	...	Ingrid
Marie Adam	...	La secrétaire médicale
Sophie Séfériadès	...	Une autre patiente
Serge Boutleroff	...	L'agent immobilier (as Serge Onteniente-Boutleroff)

Runtime:

Canada:100 min (Toronto International Film Festival) | USA:100 min | Switzerland:105 min | Germany:106 min | Argentina:105 min | Russia:105 min

Country:

France | Spain

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Brazil:16 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-15 | Germany:16 | Ireland:18 | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Portugal:M/16

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Company:

France 2 Cinéma

Quotes:

Un client de Marlène: [Sitting with Nathalie/Marlene, at the bar where she works] Can I ask you a question? Are you shaved?

Movie Connections:

Remade as Chloe (2009)

Soundtrack:

Trois petites notes de musique

A smart, mature and SOPHISTICATED MOVIE for adults!

The cast of this film includes French heavyweights Gerard Depardieu, Emmanuelle Beart and Fanny Ardant. That's like getting Tom Hanks, Gwyneth Paltrow and Joan Allen in the same movie.

I'm American but my girlfriend is French so I'm used to watching French movies. What I like about "Nathalie" versus an American equivalent like Adrian Lyne's "Unfaithful" (which itself was a remake of an older French original called "La femme infidele") is that there is no gloss, no silly special effects, just real drama and natural acting.

I don't usually like Depardieu simply because he's in every other French movie that comes out here in France, but I wasn't disappointed with him in this one. He played the part to a T.

Emmanuelle Beart, who is possibly the most beautiful living French actress, brings depth to her character. She doesn't overdo the part at all and she plays it with such coolness and sophistication. The best performance though would have to be Fanny Ardant's. Hers was the most subtle. I also like the fact that she works as a gynecologist in this movie, because later on, you'll see the connection this has in the plot, which the director brilliantly ties together.

My girlfriend claims she already predicted the twist ending, but I admit I didn't see it coming. I'm not so sure it has an obvious moral but I would say that it is a great commentary on appearances, manipulation in relationships and the unspoken arrangement couples have with each other. I definitely recommend this rare mature movie.