Review of Clouds of Sils Maria (2014) by Patrick C — 11 Jun 2015

Olivier Assayas delivered the well-received TV mini-series Carlos and has worked as writer and director for some time. Clouds of Sils Maria is a crowning achievement sure to capture the attention of actors hungry for rich, complicated work and will surely give the French director more opportunities to work with A-list talent.

Oscar-winner Juliette Binoche (The English Patient; Chocolat) plays Maria Enders, a famous, award-winning actress, forced to look back at her career by playing the role of the older woman in a play in which she previously starred as the young assistant who destroys her mentor. This forces her to come to terms which her own issues about relationships, aging, betrayal and jealousy. Two young women in her life become the focus of her growing anxiety over accepting the role. One is Valentine plays by Twilight's Kristen Stewart. Stewart has been much maligned - maybe deservedly so - for her angst-ridden role as the jittery Bella Swan in the successful vampire series. She lays all critics to rest here. Stewart is on fire as Valentine matching Binoche in every scene. She recently became the first American Actress to win a Cesar Award - the French Oscar equivalent - for this supporting role.

Chloe Grace Moretz - best known for her role as Hit-Girl in the Kick-Ass films - plays Jo-Ann Ellis, a Lohan-style train wreck who stars in superhero movies and flashes her crotch for the paparazzi. Binoche is baffled by the success this enfant terrible has achieved in such short time and appalled at her immature, destructive behavior.

Debuting in limited release this week after enjoying a successful festival run last year, Clouds of Sils Maria is likely to be forgotten by the end of the year when awards season opens. It should not be. Critics should rally around Binoche and Stewart for their remarkable work in this intriguing, masterfully constructed character study.