FILM-FORWARD.COMReviews of Recent Independent, Foreign, & Documentary Films in Theaters and DVD/Home Video
FRIDAY NIGHT
It’s the beautiful visuals and atmosphere that dominate Friday Night.
Rooftops of Paris at sundown. Sacré-Coeur glowing at night and a peaceful,
almost hypnotic, traffic jam establish a romantic mood. Even cigarette smoke
drifting out of a cracked car window is sexy. Having just finished packing
her apartment to move in with her boyfriend, Laure (Lemércier) is caught in
traffic during a transit strike. On an impulse, she offers to give Jean (Lindon), a handsome
stranger, a lift. With minimal dialogue, they learn
little about each other beside their names. But just like the traffic, the
film moves inch by inch and finally loses momentum as Laure and Jean’s
impromptu evening becomes drawn out and tedious. There’s a sense of relief
when they finally have a fling.
Helping greatly to set the mood is the soundtrack. Director Denis has a great ear for
music, ranging from Benjamin Britten to the retro “Two Sleepy People” sung
by Line Renaud and Dean Martin.
Although Lemércier, with a wry Rachel Griffiths smile, offers a quietly
engaging performance, ultimately Friday Night lacks
scope for its 90-minute length and would been more compelling as a short
film. Indeed, this one night stand should
have been a quickie.
Extras: Director Denis provides many insights into her directorial choices. According to
her, the film that most influenced Friday Night is Francis Ford Coppola’s
One From the Heart, especially in the casting. Interestingly, her film brings
to mind Lost in Translation (directed by Coppola’s daughter Sofia) in its
nocturnal atmosphere and creative use of music, though Friday Night lacks
Lost’s wistfulness and romance. KT
|