a review of 安妮特

Saw this one on Sunday (at a completely empty late-afternoon matinee screening) and am still processing the experience. I went in as both a huge Sparks fan and as someone who enjoyed Holy Motors, and came away awed by Carax's directorial flourishes, the performances of the cast, and the realization of the title character, but also emotionally gutted by the jet-black, unforgiving tone. It's like if Umbrellas of Cherbourg met Night of the Hunter met E.T. the Extraterrestrial, but without even the comfort of a happy-to-bittersweet ending.