WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
Writer/director Olivier Assayas contemplates questions of aging and remaining relevant in this deeply character-driven effort that centers on a veteran, but aging, actress Maria Enders (Juliette Binoche) who has reached a pinnacle in her long and illustrious career and is now struggling to find what she would consider worthwhile work offers while on the way to visit an old friend. Along for the somewhat arduous journey is her young assistant, Valentine (Kristen Stewart), who is constantly having to field the myriad of phone calls, emails, and other associated work in the employ of an international star. But when circumstances arise that cause Maria’s intended trip to take an unexpected turn, she heads away to the solace of Sils Maria in the Swiss Alps to clear her head, mourn, and continue to decide what the future holds. An offer comes to do a new version of a play that made her career happen 20 years earlier. The only catch–she is asked to play the older character in the story instead of the younger one she originally did, which shines an uncomfortable light back onto her own past, as well as onto the troubled Hollywood starlet playing the youthful character, Jo-Ann Ellis (Chloe Grace-Moretz). And as her own inner battle and outward venting to Valentine increases in its fervency, Maria has to make the choice of who she will be as a person, her future relevancy, the influence on those around her, and the legacy she will be remembered for.
Anchored by the performance of real-life veteran actress Binoche, “Clouds of Sils Maria” is very much a slow burn in its telling of how a person sees themselves and their place in the world changing drastically before their eyes, and therefore having to face the inevitability of age and their own history. The character of Maria is a solid look into this aspect of life, and Binoche carries us effortlessly through the tale with class, depth, and an unwavering sense of emotional attachment to the significance of the character’s desire to both hang on to her youth yet not give in to the pressures being placed on herself by her own actions and attitudes. Stewart actually turns in a very tight performance here as Maria’s long-suffering, yet confident and understanding assistant, who tries desperately to make Maria see things from a more realistic perspective, despite her employer’s insistence on being stubborn in accepting, much less welcoming, the advice and truths of where in life she truly is. As hinted at above, the film does have moments where the narrative seems to be taking a bit too long in bringing fruition to the ideas being presented, and at a little over two hours, some may find it a bit dry. But be willing to bear with it, as the ultimate payoff to Maria’s journey was worth it. The beautiful setting of the Swiss Alps assists greatly, and seeing the cloud phenomenon associated with the film’s title is inspiring. Overall, independent drama has another winner.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
