A lonely woman searching for love is not exactly a fresh idea for a movie. There's only so many ways you can tell the same story. There's always a touch of staleness and familiarity that is difficult to look past in these tales. It comes as a relief then when someone manages to put a new spin on an old concept ("Next Stop, Wonderland" is a perfect example).
"Venus Beauty Institute," a new French film from writer/director Tonie Marshall, injects a modern twist into the story of women looking for love and avoids becoming trite or dull. It's an unusual but enticing film.
Nathalie Baye (who gives a remarkable performance) stars as Angele, a middle-aged woman working in a beauty salon. She is astute and beautiful but has seen her fair share of bad men. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, Nathalie takes a different approach. She takes on an apathetic attitude and sleeps around, believing in flings and not relationships.
One day, a man named Antoine (Samuel Le Bihan) randomly walks up to her and tells her that he loves her, despite being engaged to a young woman that adores him. He saw Nathalie one day and hasn't been able to get her out of his head. Now he follows her around and obsesses over her.
Nathalie is cold to Antoine and does her best to make him go away. But he is persistent and refuses to stop trying. Slowly Nathalie lets her guard down and spends some time with Antoine. This does not please his fiance.
The beauty salon also figures heavily into the story. Nathalie works with two very different young women. An old widower is pursuing one of them, who is naïve and innocent. The other fights with the boss and is suicidal.
Nathalie is a complex and unique character. It's not often that the female protagonist in a movie engages in one-night stands and casual sex. You hardly ever get to see a female perspective on this behavior and it is intriguing. It also helps that Baye is incredible. She makes Nathalie sympathetic from the first moment she is onscreen.
"Venus Beauty Institute" deserves credit for attempting to put a new spin on an old story. It doesn't take the easy way out on anything. Baye alone makes it worth seeing, but it is an engaging little film.
Grade: B+
"Venus Beauty Institute" opens Fri., Feb. 2 at Landmark's Oriental Theatre.
