This film starts off relatively strong with two young girls making a pact to manipulate men in order to get ahead in life. French director Catherine Breillat's incendiary view of gender relations certainly came to mind but it soon became clear Les Choses Secrètes doesn't even deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as films like À ma soeur, Anatomie de l'enfer or Romance.
This film stumbles each time it tries to deviate from the norm. Its gender commentary is simplistic and its attempts at symbolism seem like an afterthought. The strong beginning becomes a mediocre middle and finally an almost laughable ending.
I have absolutely no idea how this was the top film of 2002 according to the once reputable Cahiers du Cinema when the best Breillat film has ever done was 9th place (Parfait amour/1996).
If you're looking for edgy gender commentary, get any of the aforementioned films by the brilliant Catherine Breillat. If you're looking for an erotic French film with nubile young women I'd highly recommend Naissance des pieuvres aka Water Lilies (2007).
This film stumbles each time it tries to deviate from the norm. Its gender commentary is simplistic and its attempts at symbolism seem like an afterthought. The strong beginning becomes a mediocre middle and finally an almost laughable ending.
I have absolutely no idea how this was the top film of 2002 according to the once reputable Cahiers du Cinema when the best Breillat film has ever done was 9th place (Parfait amour/1996).
If you're looking for edgy gender commentary, get any of the aforementioned films by the brilliant Catherine Breillat. If you're looking for an erotic French film with nubile young women I'd highly recommend Naissance des pieuvres aka Water Lilies (2007).