Beau Travail (1999)

Director: Claire Denis
Stars: Denis Lavant, Michel Subor, Grégoire Colin
Runtime: 92 minutes

Synopsis: This film focuses on an ex-Foreign Legion officer as he recalls his once glorious life, leading troops in Djibouti.

Performances: 9/10

Screenplay: 7/10

Editing: 7/10

Cinematography: 8/10

Score/Soundtrack: 9/10

Enjoyment Factor: 7/10

Verdict: Slow, minimalistic, cold, and yet so efficient. Sitting through Claire Denis' "Beau Travail" may come across as a tedious chore for many people as it contains very little dialogue and no real narrative, but to all you patient souls out there interested in watching a magnificently crafted character study structured similarly to a personal diary, you'll find the watch to be rewarding.

The film focuses on Galoup, an ex-officer who, from his house in Marseilles, remembers his days in Djibouti where he was in charge of a small group of soldiers. Portrayed by a phenomenal Denis Lavant, the protagonist is a complex figure with clearly repressed emotions. He's trying to fight the unfightable, forget the unforgettable. The memories of his days in the military, mainly consisting of rigid training exercises under the burning African sun, are depicted as something closer to dance routines than what they should actually look like, allowing the audience to further understand where Galoup's mind was at that moment in his life. Claire Denis captures all of that in a way that is nothing short of impressive. Despite its slow nature and heavy reliance on narration, she still managed, through gorgeous cinematography and especially a very fitting and bold score, to keep me engaged in what was happening. I was never bored, which is something I probably wouldn't have said had the project been handed over to a less talented team, and I was at all times curious to see where the movie was going to take me.

"Beau Travail" is poetic, moving, and courageous. It's a movie that only a handful of filmmakers could've pulled off successfully, and thankfully Claire Denis is part of that very exclusive list. I can't promise that it's a film that will resonate with everyone, but if the description seems like your cup of tea and you still haven't seen it, you're missing out on some fine French Cinema.

FINAL GRADE: 8/10