Review by Doug Cooper
Stars Hafsia Herzi, Celine Sallette, Jasmine Trinca, Adele Haenel, Alice Barnole, Iliana Zabeth, Neomie Lvovsky, Judith Lou Levey, Anais Thomas, Pauline Jacquard, Maia Sandoz, Esther Garrel
Written by Bertrand Bonello
Certification UK 18 | US R
Runtime 120 minutes
Directed by Bertrand Bonello
This subtitled drama depicts life in a French brothel, 1900. There is no plot as such – we simply witness the girls going about their daily routine. They all live under the same roof and their madam ensures them regular medical checks so that they stay healthy. They parade around in old fashioned lingerie and are chosen by men to have sex.
One client is a nasty individual who harms his girl with a knife. She is irreparably marked thereafter with a gash and can no longer be seen with the others. Another man likes to have a bath of champagne with his paramour. Another client likes his women to dress up for roleplaying exercises. The rent on the place is being raised and the madam is fearful that she will be able to keep her business going.
It's a formal, slowmoving affair rarely moving from the confines of the brothel – though at the halfway point the girls briefly spend the afternoon in the countryside and go skinnydipping. Despite the frequent nudity there is nothing erotic or arousing about this effort.
It's a cold, clnical tale with eerie undertones. The actresses playing the prostitutes are all believable and natural – there's not a false note in their portrayals, but their constantly glum expressions as the boredom of their jobs envelops them makes for a singularly bleak experience. It's well mounted and watchable but never any fun.