La répétition

To list everything that is right about this film would take forever. The cast, the performances, the direction, the cinematography are all first rate, it looks good and is well-packaged. BUT! There is something frustratingly unsatisfying, or I should say a number of somethings, which combine to bring down what would otherwise be a terrific film. On the most superficial level the lack of any sympathetic characters makes it difficult like this film, but having watched it a second time it became clear that this was intentional with the characters' flaws being the basis of the drama. This however raises a second problem as a very thin plot has to be spun out using characters that the audience care nothing about. The script itself is clunky (Both with and without subtitles!)and this makes La Repetition ultimately a poor film that might so easily have been a triumph. It is baffling that so many talented people should have looked at this script and thought that it could have worked. Perhaps one day someone will remake this film with a decent script.