Review | Annette movie review: Adam Driver, Marion Cotillard in bizarre yet unforgettable musical conceived by Sparks
- Created by the wonderfully warped minds of eccentric Californian pop duo Sparks, Annette is a bold undertaking that makes for a fiercely uncompromising musical
- Songs are defiantly unconventional, with erratic melodies and repeated lyrical refrains that at first frustrate, even grate, before finally making an impact
4/5 stars
Conceived by the wonderfully warped minds of eccentric Californian pop duo Sparks, Annette is a visually astounding, aurally provocative spectacle likely to confound and frustrate as many as it delights. It is a romance, a tragedy, an exploration into the challenges of parenthood, and at its heart stands a gifted child, Annette, who rises from the depths of tragedy to become a global singing sensation, portrayed on-screen by a wooden marionette.
Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard play the star-crossed leads – and do most of their own singing – as controversial stand-up comic Henry McHenry and opera soprano Ann Desfranoux. The pair cause a media frenzy with their whirlwind romance, which is capped by a hasty marriage and the birth of little Annette.
As Ann’s career blossoms, Henry’s goes into free-fall. He struggles with the pressures of family life, leading to an onstage meltdown, while Ann dreams of her husband’s past sexual misdemeanours. They embark on a private cruise in an effort to save their crumbling relationship, but their boat hits a treacherous squall, leading to further tragedy.
For his first English language film, Carax has chosen a typically bold undertaking, but one that beautifully retains his visual flair, playful dexterity, and fascination with the ambiguity between reality and theatrical conceit.