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Catherine Deneuve delivers a dignified yet charming performance in a lackluster and weakly political film based on real events. Deneuve portrays Bernadette Chirac, the spouse of Jacques Chirac, the former mayor of Paris who served as president of France from 1995 to 2007. Despite his victory against the far-right Le Pen, Chirac faced criticism in the United States for his refusal to support the Iraq war and was ultimately embroiled in corruption scandals.
Deneuve plays the role of Bernadette, Chirac’s proud and outspoken wife who is always dressed in fashionable Lagerfeld attire. She has endured her husband’s many affairs for a long time, but like the French media and public, she seems unfazed by them, displaying a worldly attitude that is quite different from the attitudes in Britain or the United States. However, when Princess Diana dies in a car accident in Paris in 1997, and the president is nowhere to be found during this significant moment, he is eventually located in Italy by an emergency response team. A visibly distressed Bernadette is also present in the room as they all listen to an unnamed Italian woman speaking to “Giacomo” on speakerphone, who wishes to speak with him. (If this particular event is indeed based on truth, it could have been the inspiration for an entire film.)
Michel Vuillermoz portrays Jacques Chirac as a meticulous grouch, strongly disapproving of Bernadette’s attempts to assert her importance or usefulness in his administration. At one point, he even passes her a note while she is giving a speech, reading: “Be quiet!” Vuillermoz does not showcase Chirac’s playful side and, with his haughty demeanor, he actually resembles the former socialist president that they all despise: François Mitterrand. However, he eventually comes to admire Bernadette’s political instincts. Experienced character actor Denis Podalydès delivers a light-hearted performance as Bernard Niquet, the public relations specialist brought in to improve Bernadette’s image. Laurent Stocker portrays Nicolas Sarkozy, the cunning politician whom both Chiracs distrust.
The film progresses uneventfully, resembling a trivial daytime soap opera with no particular plot. The supposedly significant events hold little political or emotional significance. Deneuve’s performance adds elegance and charisma to the film, but her enigmatic expression in response to the constant foolishness she faces is difficult to interpret. While it works well in every scene, it could simply be Deneuve’s natural demeanor. Either way, she portrays the first lady with effortless grace.
Source: theguardian.com
