Journalists who write literature and theater reviews are crooks whose words cannot be trusted. They will write good or negative reviews depending on the amount of payment. They lack any morals, let alone journalistic ethics, and can play with words in such a way that you will convincingly praise or destroy a work, even if you haven’t bothered to read it or witness it. This is how Honoré de Balzac described them in his book “Lost Illusions” published in three parts between 1837 and 1843 (how fortunate that cinema was only invented at the end of that century and he did not have time to expand his attack on film critics). His hatred of critics was apparently related to some negative reviews he received, and he threw his entire arsenal at them, and he also wrote that a book publisher might pay one newspaper to write a good review and another bad review in order to create a polemic that would cause media noise.
Xavier Giannoli’s film (“Marguerite”) is mainly based on the second part of the novel that takes place in France in the 1820s. It tells the story of Lucien (Benjamin Wazen from “Summer 85”), a young, poor and handsome rural poet, who lusts after the daughter of the local nobility (Cécile de France) who is married to an elderly husband. Together they escape to Paris, where she abandons him after a failed attempt to introduce him to high society. In order to make a living, Lucien joins the writing team of an opposition newspaper called “The Devil”, and gets to know the world of non-establishment journalism. Under the guidance of the cynical and skilled reporter Etienne Lusto (Vensen Lacoste) he learns how to write reviews to order, and the ease with which he adopts the required venomous language makes him a comet in the field.
Thus Lucien manages to enter the balls of the aristocracy, and hopes to obtain a title of nobility (his mother was a member of an aristocratic family). In the arms of an actress/prostitute named Coralie (Salome Duval) he discovers the joy of love, and now all he has to do is convince the publisher Doria (Gerard Depardieu) to publish his book. But Doria, an illiterate former market stall owner, Claims that poetry books are not sold. In other words, even though the plot of the film takes place two hundred years ago, some things have not changed since then.
Quite a lot of drama around poetry books. “Lost Illusions”
“Lost Illusions” is presented by a narrator who floods us with information about the rules of the described world. This makes the film very interesting, but also a bit exhausting (what’s more, some of the insights are confused due to mistakes in the Hebrew translation). The film won eight César awards (out of 16 for which it was nominated), including for the best screenplay and film, and three beauty awards – for cinematography, design and costumes. And it is indeed a most spectacular film, and it is endowed with a fluent cinematic language.
The actors are also spectacular, led by rising star Wazen. He is not only stunningly beautiful, but proves to be a gifted actor, with a sensitive face that expresses a multitude of alternating emotions. He is excellent in the role of the classic literary hero – a naive and deeply in love young man, whose soul is corrupted when it comes into contact with the toxic environment of aristocratic society, which enjoys playing with him and then spits him out of it (the narrative recalls that of Barry Lyndon, William Thackeray’s hero). An impressive performance is also provided by Xavier Dolan, the Canadian director who announced in 2019 that he enjoys acting more than directing, so he wants to focus on acting. Dolan, who managed to get rid of his Canadian accent, designs an interesting and elusive character of a writer and journalist who belongs to the inner circle of the aristocracy, and alternately serves as Lucien’s friend and enemy.
“Lost Illusions” weaves a complex story against the background of the old world, which through its rich texture projects its imagination into our world. And what is Facebook if not a polemical media organization with no journalistic ethics? However, despite all its obvious advantages, the lively film somewhat complicates the tragedy to which it alludes throughout. It is very verbose and compressed and spans two and a half hours, and it could be that adaptation into a mini-series would have allowed the material more breathing room.
3.5 stars. Illusions perdues directed by Xavier Giannoli. With Benjamin Wazen, Xavier Dolan, Cecil de France, Vincent Lacoste, Gerard Depardieu. France 2021, 149 min.