“The Crime is Mine” marks a return to comedy for the prolific French director, who spent most of the previous few years creating dramas like “Summer time of 85” and “Frantz.” Reuniting together with his “8 Ladies” star Huppert and the dynamic Tereszkiewicz and Marder, Ozon creates a fantasy world of attractive Thirties robes, Artwork Deco luxurious, and naturally, a corrupt court docket and gullible public that’s thrown right into a frenzy by Madeleine’s supposed crime. Ozon creates dizzying comedy out of a court docket that supposedly sides with the plight of girls, when in actuality their help isn’t all the time so. As a part of Madeleine’s clarification of the crime and Pauline’s protection of it, they plead to the goodness of sisterhood and solidarity, arguing towards the methods males have exploited them and stored them on the fringe of dropping their residence and good names. The tactic works, however solely to some extent, as a result of when Huppert’s Odette comes to gather her slice of the sisterhood, she threatens to show Madeleine and Pauline as frauds.
Ozon, who additionally wrote the movie, whips up a frothy story of homicide, romance, blackmail, lady energy, and a bit little bit of outdated French movie historical past. It’s an escapist form of frivolity that delights in dangerous conduct, decadent costumes and lavish units, like a farcical model of “Chicago” minus the musical numbers. Cinematographer Manuel Dacosse works inside a palette of macaroons, from eye-catching pastels to scrumptious mauves and teals, underneath golden tones of sunshine that evoke a way of the romantic previous between Ozon’s screwball comedy beats. Not all of it really works; however even when one thing appears off, the film by no means dawdles, springing again as much as transfer on to the following scene.
The trio of girls who lead the film do an impeccable job of preserving the power foolish but vibrant. Because the wide-eyed ingenue Madeleine, Tereszkiewicz registers innocence, but is wise sufficient to outwit her enemies. Marder’s Pauline is even sharper, arguing her manner out of the whole lot from eviction to her shopper’s jail sentence. The pair share a “Gents Choose Blondes”-like dynamic, with some longing glances that trace that maybe Pauline is extra into Madeleine than Madeleine is of Pauline. Madeleine’s principal affection belongs to Andre (Édouard Sulpice), probably the most clueless character within the solid. She adores him regardless of it. Huppert, alternatively, prices in as Odette in each scene like a villainous diva, a cross between Sarah Bernhardt and Norma Desmond. She bats each line like a spike into the bottom, leaving the scene of every battle like a lioness licking her lips after a satisfying kill. She provides the movie new life simply when it looks as if the whole lot might fall into place a tad too neatly.