“Ne te retourne pas” (“Don’t Look Back”) is a crafty French film with two legendary actresses each delivering brilliant performances in the same role.
Marina De Van directs Sophie Marceau and Monica Bellucci in a film about identity disassociation, childhood repression and body dysmorphia. It begins the story with Marceau playing Jeanne, a struggling writer and a wife and mother to two children. Slowly, Jeanne begins to feel distant to her surroundings and her family. She gets lost easily. She doesn’t recognize her own apartment. She even starts to see physical changes in her family and herself.
In a stunning special effects sequence that lasts a good thirty minutes, the character metamorphosizes into the face and body of Monica Bellucci. The effect is not disguised by lighting or angles. There are no distractions. It is a special effect of such subtle magnificence that it blows away anything you have seen in a fantasy, sci-fi or action adventure from recent years.
I can’t detail the reasons for the change without giving away the whole story. Needless to say, it is a fascinating journey into the mind of a woman struggling to learn the truths of her life. “Ne te retourne pas” showcases the extraordinary talents of Sophie Marceau and Monica Bellucci beautifully. One or both of them are in every frame of the film and each gives an award worthy performance.
