Standard
It's a bad sign when Canadian icon Denys Arcand has a new film at your festival and it's a) not being talked about, and b) playing here after already having a theatrical run in Quebec. Considering this is only his second film since the Oscar-winning The Barbarian Invasions, it seems crazy that Arcand has been relegated to an afterthought on the festival circuit.
I have an idea why.
An Eye For Beauty covers many of the same themes that Arcand explored so well in The Decline of the American Empire - young intellectuals sitting around tables and freely discussing their outlook on art and debauchery - only this time, he's a generation removed from his subjects. It's missing real insight on what young professionals experience today, and displays none of the energy or pathos from his earlier work. The film largely comes across as a loveless and detached effort, and apart from the stilted English-speaking scenes, where the actors struggle to find a natural rhythm, it's not without some merit. But it's a film that fits in the lower half of Arcand's work, and one that reveals he may be less a great filmmaker than a filmmaker who has made a few great films. Though that's the case for many auteurs – especially in Canada.
Sincerely,
Christopher
