Review of The Mad Women's Ball (2021) by Jluis_001 — 18 Oct 2021

''Eugéne, what's happening?

Don't you see, Louise?

It's them You're what's happening to her. It's you! You're doing it! You're driving her mad!'' ''Shut her up.'' ''Oh, yes. Shut me up, doctor! Go on, shut me up! Because I know everything!''Eugéne, what's happening?

Don't you see, Louise?

It's them.

You're what's happening to her.

It's you!

You're doing it!

You're driving her mad!''

''Shut her up.''

''Oh, yes.

Shut me up, doctor!

Go on, shut me up!

Because I know everything!

I can tell you everything!

What you're doing to us... ''

In my opinion, this film is trying to shed a light on the way women were treated in the face of the null understanding of mental illness in the 19th century.

Adding to the fact that institutionalizing them was something that was weaponized against them. Against ''difficult'' women.

That's very good, you can certainly see the idea that this film has in mind to portray a certain female empowerment, but it surprises me that with so many women involved and even with a female director, the film fails to give it an approach that goes beyond the cruelty to which they were subjected.

There's no depth. The events are simply reactionary, and even with the decent performances, there's barely anything more useful.

The hasty resolution of its climax is further evidence of this.

Perhaps this film will increase Mélanie Laurent's credits as a filmmaker, but she was far from providing a real stage for her criticism and subject matter.