Couture

to me, couture felt less like a film and more like a glimpse behind the scenes of someone else’s life. as if you, the viewer, are standing before a screen that isn’t really a screen at all, but slightly open windows into someone else’s home, someone else’s reality. i appreciated how subtly the film brings up a wide range of important themes, how naturally they are woven into the story, and how alive everything feels. what’s important is that couture is not the kind of film that pressures the viewer or tries to force an emotional reaction. films dealing with similar themes often fall into that trap, and sometimes it’s so obvious it becomes irritating. here, fortunately, it’s quite the opposite: nothing is demanded of you. no tears, no intense sympathy, no dramatic emotional response. you simply observe and accept, just as the characters themselves do. i also appreciated the way womanhood is portrayed. i liked the film’s pacing – perhaps it is what creates that feeling of involuntary voyeurism. and i can’t help but mention the runway scene. those shots, that emotion, ada in that dress, in the middle of a chaotic world she finally feels part of… genuinely gave me goosebumps. the way angelina jolie inhabits her character is equally striking, especially considering her personal history and the history of the women in her family (her grandmother and her mother, marcheline, who also suffered from cancer and passed away at a relatively young age). so i have to admit, i’m a bit surprised by the film’s mixed rating. yes, it wasn’t sensational, revolutionary, or perfect, and there are many other adjectives one could add. but to me, it felt real, it felt beautiful, and because of that, it was very, very good.