35 SHOTS OF RUM (2008)

Directed By: Claire Denis
Written By: Claire Denis & Jean-Pol Fargeau
Cinematography By: Angnes Godard
Editor: Guy Lecorne

Cast: Alex Descas, Mati Diop

Due to what I feel is a lack of foreign film reviews, I wrote this one and plan on focusing more on them. It’s ironic considering it’s one of my favorite genre of films, Since it seems any film with subtitles no matter what actual genre it would normally fall into in America just is natuarally put in the foreign film catageory.

Let me be honest with you one of the main reasons I watched this film was after seeing the trailer seeing actress Marie Ditop for the first time. I was so taken by her beauty I felt like I was seeing a new screen goddess. Luckily I enjoyed the film For other reasons too.
To tell you the truth though I may have watched this film eventually I wouldn’t have discovered it as fast if not for her.

The Films serves up healthy doses of her. Though Alex DeCasCas is the star of the film. The film Focuses more on her character as she seems featured about the same amount as him.

Like most foreign films. The film is short on plot. As everything that happens seems natural and all about emotion. At times it seems more about what is not said then what is said. The film unfolds almost like a book as you get to know the characters individually and within the dynamics of one another. You get to witness their actions. To me it moves along smoothly, it’s slow. and though not much seems to happen a lot does.

The story is about a father and daughter who are close as can be. As the film goes on, it explores their relationships such as with significant others and friends. The drama that exists there that makes them examine the relationship that they have.

It’s more exciting then I make it sound. At the beginning of the film I thought I had an idea where the film was going more about the affairs of the heart and breaking away. Then all of a sudden it seems to change it’s focus and energy. Which at first felt a little disappointing but still interesting.

I like foreign films it truly gives you a chance to see a different sensibility then yours and also let’s you see the different ways of telling a story and seeing films that are successful in their homeland without necessarily following the rules and material most of the time of big budget American films. Like films of the 70’s foreign films feel like they have style but most important to the film is story and character. It also gives you a chance to see and observe other cultures from the inside instead of just being a bystander, But most foreign films though they are based in different countries and speak different languages there themes are universal.

GRADE: B