Rent Annette (2021)

experimental, rich and satisfying - Annette review by MM

Well I've read the negative reviews and feel they are unfair. I'd agree that you have to get past the first few opening scenes, but I found this film very enjoyable in a pop-opera style. Those familiar to Sparks will know they are very accomplished lyricists and musicians. "we love each other so much' where the only line delivered is this line is try to their humour where rather than use lines of romantic dialogue or cheesy songs to describe character progression , they strip the song down to its function, that is to show us they love each other very so much. IF you understand what they are doing with the lyrics, you come to enjoy this approach as it really is innovative. I enjoyed the story and the unexpected move into death, supernatural revenge, is Macbethian. For me, it's one of the best films in the last year! Of course if you enjoy the music of Sparks this is a masterpiece.

Not my cup of tea - Annette review by Ernie

Sadly I can only say we gave up trying to watch this after 30 mins, I dont have a problem with musicals but without any dialog to give even a hint of what the film was about we could not keep watching.

Not a film to bother with - Annette review by RW

The needle got stuck in the record after the first minute or so.

140 minutes of sameness.

The masterful performance for me was the skill of the heroine, Marion Cotillard, being able to hold her notes while being eaten out by hubby!

An Extraordinary movie which has stayed with me for days - Annette review by BP

Here is something which came in from left field but left us surprised and interested and absorbed. We quickly saw it's not at all a predictable movie format and this left us shaking our heads and rather puzzled for a time. And then, suddenly came a key - the six women who 'came forward' with a warning - aha! The Greek chorus from classic tragedy. So does this film follow that structure? Or maybe a modern interpretation of grand opera? I would have liked someone familiar with the basic structure of greek tragedy and of grand opera to help me recognise the various format items. The themes of passionate, destructive love; jealousy; two men warring over the love of a woman; death; murder; a ghost; a child ... how many classic ingredients in this dish?

If you're expecting 'normal' movie entertainment this won't please you, but (I found) there is fine quality of music, acting, singing, costume and makeup; photography - the whole production indeed. And so, once you've recognised the code, it's challenging, very rewarding and enjoyable. The puppet child brought reminders of the beautiful Anthony Minghella production of Madama Butterfly and Annette's metamorphosis into a live child at the end was powerful, her performance remarkable.

I'll send for this one again in a few months, to enjoy again. This time I shall google Greek tragedy and grand opera first! Surely some aspects of a good piece of art is that it challenges you, makes you think, sends you off to do a bit of searching.

No idea what to make of this - Annette review by DS

I have no idea whether this is supposed to be comedy, cute, or horror but am definitely coming down on the side of horror. It's plain weird and desperately creepy.

I've read a review which says it's a film that makes you understand why people hate musicals and I have to agree; this MAKES me hate musicals.

One of the most awful films i've seen in a long while

Weird, Pretentious Musical - Annette review by GI

This strange, surreal musical written by the Mael brothers, aka Sparks, has had a few plaudits especially as the director Leos Carax is much admired, but I found it an impenetrable, overly weird affair with songs that would be better applied to a concept album rather than a cinematic musical. Adam Driver is no doubt exceptional in his performance going from challenging stand up comedian to obsessed lover to controlling svengali in a story that, if you're like me, will have you pulling confused faces. He plays Henry, a performer whose career is on the wain, but who is in love with opera diva, Ann (Marion Cotillard), a much celebrated performer (so a bit of A Star Is Born narrative going on). They have a strange child together presented as an elf like marionette which they name Annette. When tragedy strikes Henry discovers the tiny Annette can sing like her adult mother and he devotes himself to her career, a path that leads to violence and destruction. All of this is presented in a nightmarish narrative with lyrically minimalist set of songs that are downright dull and watching Henry perform oral sex on Ann while singing 'we love each other so much' is, to be frank, odd. It's a film that I'm sure Film School students will rave about but for us mere mortals it's a pretentious load of tosh!