The more personal and intimate a project is, and the less detached and objective - specifically (but not necessarily exclusively) nonfiction projects - the more gawky and awkward it feels. We saw this during the early self-isolation period of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic when a great deal of produced content consisted of face-to-face Zoom meetings recorded for posterity, we've seen it with other documentaries that were passion projects for the filmmaker, and that's definitely true here, too. This comes from various notions, I think, like a subconscious thought that we're privy to conversations that should be private, or the creator and or subject's enthusiasm overwhelming earnest intent or craftsmanship, or perhaps a sense that what is interesting for the creator may not hold broader appeal. Which category or categories 'Jane par Charlotte' falls into is a reasonable question that I think it's up to each individual viewer to assess, but even with all this hanging over the movie, still I think it's engaging and enjoyable more than not. Save possibly for one is a diehard fan of Jane Birkin or Charlotte Gainsbourg I don't think this is a must-see by any means, but it's suitable for curious audiences to check out on a lazy day.
I appreciate Gainsbourg's purpose here, hoping to learn more about her mother, herself, and their relationship by turning that exploration into documentary. Exactly how successful that aim was, and how much meaningful substance this can claim, is something only Gainsbourg can really answer, but in the very last this 2021 picture certainly carries that air of a more personal endeavor, not least with its loose, handheld camerawork. And one way or another what we get are small glimpses of Birkin's thoughts on motherhood, her multi-faceted career, aging, and of course the dynamics between her and her children, second daughter Charlotte above all, and their shared history. For my part, while there's nothing especially striking about 'Jane par Charlotte,' I do like it, and think it's duly inviting and suitably keeps one's attention. It's also almost invariably more rewarding and fulfilling for Birkin and Gainsbourg themselves, or their family, rather than anyone without a direct attachment to them. As if to emphasize the point, given the tight focus of the presentation, there is little to no context or additional information provided for viewers who aren't already in some capacity aware of or familiar with the two stars or their family life.
While the conversation and photography is very candid, it's readily evident that Gainsbourg had some special places in mind for her and Birkin to revisit, and arranged some scenes (some with a clear artistic bent) for that conversation to unfold in. A similar tack in more detached or investigative documentaries is too often off-putting for the contrivance, yet once more, I think given the nature of this feature such instances work in the project's favor. Taken together with the soundtrack that Gainsbourg curated herself, and glimpses at home video or old photos from years ago during her childhood or earlier still in Birkin's life, the end result is, unexpectedly, mildly enchanting. 'Jane par Charlotte' is still something likely to appeal only to a select audience, but I'm rather pleased that even if it's no singular revelation (at least not for we who are not part of Birkin and Gainsbourg's extended family), at length it's more actively enticing than I supposed at the outset. In any event there's no need to go out of one's way for it, but if you do have the chance to watch, this is reasonably worthwhile on its own merits.
