The Bridesmaid (film)
Encyclopedia
The Bridesmaid. is a 2004 co-written and directed by Claude Chabrol
. Its title in French is La Demoiselle d'honneur. The film was based on the novel The Bridesmaid
by Ruth Rendell
.
) lives in a rural French village with his mother Christine (Clément
) who is a hairdresser and with his two younger sisters. One day, a local girl who has mysteriously disappears. Soon after, Philippe's mother introduces her children to Gerard (Le Coq) -- a wealthy local businessman who appears interested in pursuing her. She gives him a sculpture of the Roman goddess Flora
that had Philippe had given her which was in the family garden.
Not too long after receiving the gift, Gerard appears to vanish without a trace. Philippe makes it his mission to recover the sculpture. He finally tracks it down and places it in his closet without telling anyone. Later, at his sister's wedding, Philippe meets attractive bridesmaid Senta (Smet
) and the two quickly fall for each other passionately. She is a model and aspiring actress who lives alone in a huge villa which she inherited from her father. The sexy Senta may be beautiful and irresistible, yet she also seems to have several macabre ideas about life, love, and death. As their affair intensifies, she asks him to kill a stranger to prove his life. He at first thinks she is joking but then realizes she is actually serious about carrying out the plan.
Desson Thomas of The Washington Post
:
Ty Burr of The Boston Globe
:
Claude Chabrol
Claude Chabrol was a French film director, a member of the French New Wave group of filmmakers who first came to prominence at the end of the 1950s...
. Its title in French is La Demoiselle d'honneur. The film was based on the novel The Bridesmaid
The Bridesmaid
The Bridesmaid is a novel by British writer Ruth Rendell, first published in 1989. It is generally considered a fan-favourite, and was adapted into an acclaimed 2004 film by Claude Chabrol .- Plot summary:The novel's protagonist is Philip Wardman, a relatively normal young man The Bridesmaid is a...
by Ruth Rendell
Ruth Rendell
Ruth Barbara Rendell, Baroness Rendell of Babergh, CBE, , who also writes under the pseudonym Barbara Vine, is an English crime writer, author of psychological thrillers and murder mysteries....
.
Plot
Philippe (MagimelBenoît Magimel
Benoît Magimel is a French actor. A prolific actor who was 14 when he appeared in his first film, Magimel has starred in a variety of roles in French cinema....
) lives in a rural French village with his mother Christine (Clément
Aurore Clément
Aurore Clément is a French actress. She has performed in a number of motion pictures in both the French language and the English language as well as in television films and miniseries.-Early life:...
) who is a hairdresser and with his two younger sisters. One day, a local girl who has mysteriously disappears. Soon after, Philippe's mother introduces her children to Gerard (Le Coq) -- a wealthy local businessman who appears interested in pursuing her. She gives him a sculpture of the Roman goddess Flora
Flora (mythology)
In Roman mythology, Flora was a goddess of flowers and the season of spring. While she was otherwise a relatively minor figure in Roman mythology, being one among several fertility goddesses, her association with the spring gave her particular importance at the coming of springtime...
that had Philippe had given her which was in the family garden.
Not too long after receiving the gift, Gerard appears to vanish without a trace. Philippe makes it his mission to recover the sculpture. He finally tracks it down and places it in his closet without telling anyone. Later, at his sister's wedding, Philippe meets attractive bridesmaid Senta (Smet
Laura Smet
Laura Smet is a French actress. She was born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, daughter of the rock musician Johnny Hallyday and the actress Nathalie Baye...
) and the two quickly fall for each other passionately. She is a model and aspiring actress who lives alone in a huge villa which she inherited from her father. The sexy Senta may be beautiful and irresistible, yet she also seems to have several macabre ideas about life, love, and death. As their affair intensifies, she asks him to kill a stranger to prove his life. He at first thinks she is joking but then realizes she is actually serious about carrying out the plan.
Principal cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Benoît Magimel Benoît Magimel Benoît Magimel is a French actor. A prolific actor who was 14 when he appeared in his first film, Magimel has starred in a variety of roles in French cinema.... |
Philippe Tardieu |
| Laura Smet Laura Smet Laura Smet is a French actress. She was born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, daughter of the rock musician Johnny Hallyday and the actress Nathalie Baye... |
Stéphanie "Senta" Bellange |
| Aurore Clément Aurore Clément Aurore Clément is a French actress. She has performed in a number of motion pictures in both the French language and the English language as well as in television films and miniseries.-Early life:... |
Christine |
| Bernard Le Coq | Gérard Courtois |
| Solène Bouton | Sophie Tardieu |
| Anna Mihalcea | Patricia Tardieu |
| Thomas Chabrol | Lieutenant José Laval |
Critical reception
The film was well received by critics. Website metacritic.com assigned a 74 out of 100 based on 20 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews."Desson Thomas of The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
:
Ty Burr of The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
: