Louise Wimmer (2011) Reviews

• Louise Wimmer-An excellent Cyril Mennegun film which questions what happens to a society's "Laissés-pour-compte".

  FilmCriticLalitRao2013-09-22

  A regular feature of contemporary French cinema is its promotion and support of realistic films. These films are the ones which stay as close as possible to issues related to people and their broader impact on the country as a whole. It is in this sense that they make it a point to address what could be called as French society's "Laissés-Pour-Compte". 'Louise Wimmer' is one such unconventional story which talks about the tough life of an SDF woman (a homeless person) who uses all her energy to maintain her dignity to preserve sanity in a world where issues tend to fluctuate from local to international in order to finally end up as local questions. It is a known fact that these questions need local solutions as everybody involved is aware of the problems and solutions which gravitate along these problems. French actress Corinne Masiero is excellent in her role as a homeless woman who would never be ready to give up her struggle. It must be pointed out that her struggle is not an ordinary fight as she has to make tough choices of living in her own car, stealthily eat leftover food at restaurants and pilfer petrol from other automobiles. She gives much needed credibility to the positive depiction of SDFs in France. Her performance is highly authentic as she is the only female lead of the new French cinema about a woman SDF.

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• Interesting slice of life movie

  richwgriffin-227-1766352013-01-25

  Just saw this movie today on demand - it's nominated for 2 Cesar awards: best actress for Corinne Maserio (she played Matthias Schoenaerts sister in Rust & Bone) and best first film. It's simple, very low budget, only 80 minutes, and very hypnotic after a slow start. Loved the use of Nina Simone's songs (mostly "Sinnerman") and the fact that the film is very much like a happier Dardenne Brothers movie - she definitely lightens up by the end of the movie, despite all of the hard things that happen to her as a homeless person. The movie isn't perfect - it's too slow, especially at the beginning, and leaves out too much information (back story) but it worth seeing for the central performance by a really interesting french actress.

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• Not for all audiences...

  searchanddestroy-12012-11-24

  The daily struggle of a young woman who fights to survive. She lives in her car, has of course major financial problems; her job as a petty housemaid in a sort of second rate hotel with a very unsympathetic boss leaves her very few chances to hope anything in life. But she fights. If you are unemployed yourself, avoid this movie. It's very depressing. Typical french film from these last years, product of the economic crisis. There are dozens of those features. Director, actors unknown. But not totally hopeless although. I guess this film did not last very long in theatres, one or two weeks at the most. Again, not for every one. But worth watching.

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• rather naturalistic picture

  denpolites-257-9883052014-02-17

  The movie is worth seeing, and the subject is of the most importance at the midst of the economical crisis. The performances are quite good and there is a mood appropriate for the subject. But it is rather naturalistic. It's like a documentary but without to explore the causes, the possible solutions. Of course you don't expect to provide complete answers but there is not a hind of them. Neither a deeper exploration of the social issues. And some hints of horse gambling make the impression that to be homeless and in such a condition is your fault, not a social problem. There are a lot of unanswered questions about the relationship with ex-husband, her daughter, her debts that leave a mystery not in favor of the heroine.

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