Review of Souvenir (2016) by Alan W — 10 Oct 2016
A singer who competed for Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest the year Abba won is now working in a paté factory and lives in quiet obscure solitude when she meets a (much younger) boxer who recognized her.
From this very Brit-rom-com premise, comes this intermittently amusing but ultimately slight film. The best thing here is the illuminating presence of Isabelle Huppert. Her Lilliane's transformation from a stoic existence to one that is filled with love and new opportunities at a later stage of her life is nuanced and enchanting.
Equally impressive is the music by Pink Martini and it is a total challenge not to hum those earworm-like tunes as one leaves the cinema. However, broad plotting that lumbers from one scenario to another until a conventional and convenient resolution fails to generate natural drama for the film.
An undemanding watch but not totally unlikeable, if nothing else, this answers the question: if we make a Britcom in French would it make it any better? Je dis Non.
This review of Souvenir (2016) was written by Alan W on 10 Oct 2016.
Souvenir has generally received mixed reviews.
Was this review helpful?
