Thomas’s review published on Letterboxd:
Cinéma du look indeed. What a slick, cool, gorgeous looking movie. I´m in love with the shot composition, the lighting, the color scheme, the stylized mise-en-scène, the wide shots, the camerawork, well, pretty much everything concerning the look of the film. At the same time, I wouldn´t agree with calling “Diva” style over substance, which is the main criticism cinéma du look movies face. “Diva” features memorable, entertaining characters and an engaging neo-noir plot that seamlessly combines two sub-plots, one following the relationship between a young Parisian postman and the American opera singer he admires and one following a criminal conspiracy involving a corrupt high-ranking police officer. I enjoyed both subplots and especially like how they are intertwined and come together in the end. There also is an outstanding chase scene through the Paris metro that deserves to be praised. Considering this film and “Fitzcarraldo”, I apparently love movies about opera aficionados, in particular if the film itself is operatic in its style, scope, and narrative. And given the opera theme, the soundtrack is fantastic, as well. “Diva” is a film that somehow manages to be laidback and thrilling at the same time and its aesthetic and vibe are never anything less than magnificent. A new favorite of mine.
