Fans of the
award-winning play will enjoy the stylistic nuances that Roman Polanski has
added through the medium of film, though it remains a narrative contingent upon
the ability of the only two actors in the cast. The entire story takes place in
just one evening, taking place at a single location, and to call it
‘dialogue-heavy’ would be the understatement of the year. This is what made for
such great theater, containing roles theatrical actors can often only dream of,
though Polanski and his cast must work twice as hard to make the same elements
work on film.
I wouldn’t call
the adaptation a complete success, but this is mostly because I find little
from the Tony Award-winning play that is relatable. Is it engaging at times to watch
the cat-and-mouse behavior between a mysterious actress and a nervous theater
director? Often, yes, but there were just as many moments where I longed for
resolution which would never come. In the end, it is the audience that is the
mouse, with the filmmaker and cast standing in as the felines.
The story is
kept relatively simple, which only further highlights the importance of
dialogue and performance. The cast includes only two; a writer/director named
Thomas (Mathieu Amalric), and an audacious actress named Vanda (Emmanuelle
Seigner) who insists upon auditioning long after everyone else has gone home
for the day. Thomas has a new play adapted from a controversial classic novel
about sadomasochism, and Polanski seems to be throwing a likeness of himself
into the mix intentionally by casting Amalric in his own adaptation of the work
by David Ives.
Thomas is
struggling with finding the right actress to play the lead role when Vanda
arrives, creating a whirlwind of erotic energy onstage. It comes as no surprise
to see this persona begin to bleed into real life, as art and life blend with
one another. Polanski enjoys playing with these ideas, adding even more of a
personal stamp by casting real-life wife as Vanda, despite the role being
written for a twenty-four-year-old. These ideas seem to inspire Polanski,
giving a personalized sense of passion to the material. I only wish that the
material had interested me as much as it did him.
The DVD special
features include interviews with Polanski, Seigner and Amalric. There is also a
trailer.
Entertainment Value:
5.5/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 8.5/10
Historical
Significance: 7/10
Special Features: 6/10
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