French Exit * * * *

 French Exit is not part of the French Film Festival. It's not even a French film.

Adapted from the novel by the same name, Frances (Michelle Pfeiffer) is a widower who has happily squandered her formidable inheritance.  She has led a ridiculously self - indulgent life. Still in possession of extraordinary good looks one can only imagine what she would have looked like when she married her very rich husband. The trophy wife indeed.

This! Is your review!? Good God!

Anyway, he's gone - sort of.  She does actually believe his soul lives on in her cat and she seems to be right. 

She also has a son Malcolm, (Luke Hedges) who she dragged out of boarding school after her husband had died. He is a little older now and engaged to a pretty young girl, who is rapidly becoming aware that Malcolm is boy who does not know how to do anything other than what Mother says. 

After her accountant informs Frances of her impossible financial situation, she sells the paintings, the Rolls Royce, and a few other remaining assets. She now has bundles and bundles of hundred dollar bills which she throws into her bag along with her cat (think husband).  Then she and her son leave their unaffordable apartment in New York and catch a boat to Paris, there to live in a borrowed apartment and squander her last quarter of a million dollars, much of which she is inclined to give away to people who mean nothing to her. Beyond this she has no plan.

On the boat trip her son got to know a clairvoyant who agrees that her husbands spirit is indeed inside the cat.  Even though she also admits she is a complete charlatan. 

When in Paris Frances and Malcolm become acquainted with a lonely socialite, and a shonky detective.  They are soon all living in the very crowded apartment along with the clairvoyant. Then Malcolm's ex fiancé turns up with her new bullying boyfriend in tow.  

"Where are we going?"  I asked. Not that I cared that  much. I was happy.

Is this a story or a portrait?  As a portrait it's beautiful.  She is a terrible woman in so many ways but you can't help but like her and be fascinated by her. She sails through life in a manner that makes you envious not because she is having fun, but because she is so wonderfully aloof to everyone and everything. Smoking, insulting, condescending, pitying, drinking, mocking and openly generous without any expectation of reward or repayment. I wasn't sure if I was watching a story on how to live or how not to live. 

Like Frances, the whole film has an uncompromising pace and attitude. I think it's excellently done and I really admired and liked it. It's directed by Azazel Jacobs who also gave us The Lovers.