Review of Clouds of Sils Maria (2014) by Phillip D — 13 Apr 2015

As with all French films, I offer a degree of leniency when it comes to the overall pulse of the film. French movies are notoriously boring and despite the fact that films should not be so, I am happy to offer passes to films like Rust and Bone and Two Days, One Night.

Clouds of Sils Maria however, takes advantage of my good graces, offering a boxed in two hours of what is honestly some of the most lifeless film I have had the displeasure of watching. A great deal of this centers around the Stewart casting.

Although many a director has attempted to take the credit for rescuing young adult actor's careers, there is rarely credit to take. As was the case with Daniel Radcliffe, Stewart is an inherently bad actress.

She has no range, no emotion and poor vocalization. Despite the fact that Clouds does its best to fit Stewart into a role that matches her drab exterior, her inability to emotionally connect with a scene still shines through bright and clear.

Binoche is strong individually, although her abilities are somewhat lost in the doldrum created by the film. The attitude overall is painfully pretentious, with unwarranted cuts to black and pristine Alps shots to remind us to tune in on Oscar night.

Chloe Grace Moretz, hyped by the trailer as a major player in the film, turns out to only have a few minutes of screen time that offers one semi-decent line. Her role is minimal and the dynamic that is attempted between Stewart and Binoche goes on for far too long without really assuming the emotional gravity intended for it.

As a final damnation, the film, coming in on the coat tails of the fantastic Birdman, really feels like a free loader, offering a similar look at an aging thespian with many of the same conflicts. The hinted (and undelivered) lesbian spin is really just decor on what really is a shameless awards bait copycat.

Clouds of Sils Maria is altogether overhyped, overrated and underwhelming in all aspects.