Erotic, revealing, poignant and disturbing, but a little melodramatic, House of Pleasures delves into one of life’s oldest professions. The film features excellent acting and fine direction on a stage of a turn of the century Paris bordello working its mesmerizing story into some interesting entertainment. Some may feel it’s gratuitous and dull while others find a sad story with a wide range of unfortunate circumstance.
The story surrounds the final times of an 1890’s brothel on the verge of change due to a depressing economy, increase in the spread of disease, a lack of women wanting to get into the trade and an increase in violence. On the face of the business we see a grand mansion, elegant Madame (Noemie Lvovsky), beautiful women and important businessmen coming and going as they ‘visit’ with their favorite prostitute. The everyday toil of the women as they go about keeping themselves clean, beautiful and street smart gives the air that they are happy and enchanted with their jobs.
Things start to change when Pauline a teen and newcomer to the business gets hired. The girls start to see themselves as worn out and losing their edge for the trade. Madeline (Alice Barnole) a popular lady of the house gets cut by a drugged-out client, with no recourse the business starts death spiral.
Director/Writer Bertrand Bonello shows the rivalry between the girls as they primp and dress to please the men coming to the house. While each of his actresses are extremely beautiful, we really don’t get a true picture of French trollops, especially since most likely brothel’s took in anyone who was relatively clean and willing to work for small wages. His candor is well received for those with a prurient interest, but not likely to satisfy more common mainstream moviegoers. Bonello does, however, bring a cinematic quality to the screen that gives the magnetic fantasy of the real thing.
House of Pleasures is unrated by the MPAA, but contains sexual situations, nudity, language, violence and gore. I do not recommend the film for those under 17 years of age. It is an art film in the truest sense of the meaning, not a cheesy soft pornographic film that may be viewed on cable TV.
The DVD shows nicely through my Blu-ray player with a sharp picture that fills the whole screen of my home entertainment TV.
House of Pleasures Has a Few Average Bonus Features:
- Casting the Actresses
- Prologue: From Writing to Editing
- Trailer
Specifications and Additional Film Information for the DVD Format:
“House of Pleasures”
- Cast: Adele Haenel, Jasmine Trinca, Noemie Lvovsky, Alice Barnole, Celine Sallette, Iliana Zabeth, and Hafsia Herzi
- Directed by: Bertrand Bonello
- MPAA Rating: Unrated
- Genre: Art/Foreign
- Language: French
- Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
- Discs: 1
- Audio: 5.1 Dolby Digital
- Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
- Subtitles: English, English SDH, Spanish
- Running Time: 2 hrs 5 min
- Street Date: March 13, 2012
- Distributed by: IFC Films
- Also know as: House of Tolerence (L’Apollonide – Souvenirs De La Maison Close)
- Accolades: Nominated Palme d’Or at Cannes 2011
FINAL ANALYSIS: A film buff’s cinematic prize. [rating=3.5]
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
