Elle

This was a magnificently paced and darkly woven tale! Fantastic female lead actress- not difficult to see why she is a legend. I gave a lot of unsolicited advice to the characters as I was watching the film. A home security system would have wrecked the whole plot. It is not for the faint of heart with the home invasion(s), physical altercations etc. However, the entire film will cleverly bring up timely and charged topics from the news and struggles of todays world.

By far, one of my most favorite movies, ever!

What a disappointment. Very hard to watch with all the misogynist situations and references. While Isabelle Huppert remains one of the most capable and gifted actresses on the planet--found everything about her character off-putting and sad. She didnt win at the patriarchys game, she just was better at it than the surrounding men. Gives you the impression that French citizens are spoiled, effete and rather dull--which they are not. A much better film starring Huppert, Comedy of Power, gets everything right that this one doesnt. Wish I could get my $5.99 refunded.

Director Paul Verhoeven is famous for his provocative films, often combining sex, violence and psychological power play. Actress Isabelle Huppert is famous for her demanding roles, often playing powerful women with an obsession for sex and/or violence. Put the two together and you can guess what you get. Elles lead character, Michèle, is a woman who owns a video game company, specializing in games filled with extreme sex and violence. She casually shares her bed with her best friends husband. She masturbates watching the neighbour unloading the trunk of his car. Her father is a convicted serial killer. Oh, and she doesnt seem to mind getting raped. At least, thats the impression after the very first scene. After having been attacked and violently raped, she doesnt call the police of even a friend, but a fast food restaurant, ordering something to eat. The film explores not only Michèles relationship with her rapist, whose identity is established after about two thirds of the film, but also the men and women in her immediate circle. They all have their problems and peculiarities, and Michèle seems to pull all their strings as a hard, cold woman, superbly mastering her feelings and emotions. For the viewer, it takes some effort to understand all the different relationships, and even more to grasp Michèles behaviour. The only explanation Verhoeven offers, is her troubled youth as the daughter of a serial killer. In my opinion, the film suffers from an overload of characters with psychological difficulties. Theres a mother hiring a gigolo because she cant accept getting older, theres a son clinging to a dominating girlfriend, a neighbour with a wife obsessed with religion, an employee playing a dirty trick on Michèle, and so on. Personally, I found it a bit too much. The one thing that stands out in this film, is Isabelle Hupperts acting. Any other actress could easily have made Michèles character unbelievable. But Hupperts utter detachment from any form of sensitivity makes the part completely convincing.

Intriguing story line, characterization and good acting. But...those French are famous for being all about love and sex. Well, here ya go. Violent sex. Affairs. Fantasy. Masturbation. Marital sex. Murderous sex. Same sex. Etc etc. So Elle is about Elle and Everyone else. I liked it once I settled in and let it be what it was - a sexy French film.

The setting is French urban chic. The central character plus friend are both bosses of their video-gaming company. Female leadership and therefore the drive to characterization is from that sex. The protagonist is dealing with various levels of complicated relationships: with her son, with her mother, with her ex-husband, with her lover, and with the desired focus on the particular game being developed. In that context, the unfolding story is how she responds to being raped; violent in itself. Its the unfolding twists - twisted even reactions that take ones breath away. There is a deep psychological dimension. For some who might explore more, read Whose Been Sleeping in Your Head.

Movie froze 3/4 through- never able to complete to the end. Sincerely, Harriet Mosson

Not quite what I expected (which was something along the lines of Hard Candy) but it wasnt bad, just a bit strange

It was entertaining although very strange actions by all of the characters - the ending just left me blank waiting on something to happen- my husband thought it was good everything was tied up for ending - he liked it better than I but I found it difficult to believe the craziness of the characters actions- even though he bought from my account I wouldnt advise anyone to rent for 5.99 maybe when it drops to 2.98

Very strange. Is this the result of extensive focus group input and too much compromise? Isabelle Hupperts performance is excellent but she cant surpass the poor material.