BFI London Film Festival: La Belle Époque
La Belle Époque
Directed by Nicolas Bedos
Starring Daniel Auteuil, Guillaume Canet and Doria Tillier
by Alex Plant
Nicolas Bedos’ second feature, La Belle Époque has a set up that feels reminiscent of a cross between Westworld and Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind. However, with its liberal dashing of sharp french humour it manages to feel entirely unique.
Cartoonist Victor (Auteil) is a man in his 60s who feels completely alienated by both contemporary society and his family’s embrace of modern technology. When this becomes a sticking point between him and his wife, Marianne (Ardant), she kicks him out. Feeling wistful, Victor decides to make use of a voucher given to him by his son for an elaborate reenactment service that allows customers to inhabit a period of history of their choosing, for as long as they can afford to pay for it. Eschewing more recognisable historical events Victor chooses to go back to a cafe in 1975 to relive the day he first met and fell in love with Marianne.
La Belle Époque is a lush and very funny rumination on the nature of romance, the passage of time and the pitfalls and pleasures of nostalgia. Bedos’ film looks absolutely fantastic, perfectly capturing the rose-tinted view we can often remember of significant events in our past. It’s anchored by excellent performances from Auteil and Ardant and a superb supporting cast. Given its excellently executed high concept it seems almost unimaginable that this won’t receive an english-language remake, but it’s uniquely French sensibilities and distinct visual flair make it well worth catching before the inevitably toned-down re-skinning appears in a few years’ time.
