This is a true comedy, graphically detailing the unravelling of a man's ordered existence as the result of romantic obsession. Directed, written and starring Carlo Verdone, the film offers satire, slapstick and pathos in equal amounts. Verdone's co-stars, Claudio Gerini and the veteran Andrea Ferreol, ensure that each scene is harvested of its potential. A bonus is an interesting melange of languages and dialects, served rather well by the subtitles.
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rsoonsa23 October 2000
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acerf8 September 2004Iris Blonde (This review contains a spoiler)
Carlo Verdone's best work is behind him so say Italians and yet, if the likes of Iris Blonde are his worst, then his worst is better by far, than most films being made today. Unfortunately, only one other of Verdone's movies, the fantastic, Acqua E Sapone, has been released in the USA and the man has made a ton of films. What a pity that we shan't see them. As in the former, Verdone co-wrote, directed and starred in Iris Blonde.
Iris Blonde got pretty impressive reviews in the United States, including the New York Times but it is a very European film with all that implies. If that ain't your bag, skip review and film.
Iris Blonde is the classic story of out-of-luck-in-love fellow being so emotionally desperate for that commodity that he hooks up with an inappropriate someone who, 'sees him coming,' and takes advantage of him. The film's style is best described perhaps as, 'Reality with absurdist trappings as rendered through the lens of one very pithy Italian observer of the human condition.'
Verdone spoon feeds his character, 'Romeo Spero's' vulnerability to us, his audience, in the opening scene. Spero is a pianist/composer specializing in 'popular sounds' for the band he leads, High Definition. Spero learns that his fiancée is having an affair and is leaving him. Tearfully, this woman (who artfully is never shown, we only hear her voice) informs Spero that, if he ever has a grand passion and 'someday he will'- he'll understand. Equally humiliating, the male member who cuckolded Spero says he promises that he won't touch the music that 'you wrote for us.' Every time Spero tries to speak he is interrupted, likewise Spero is unable to light a cigarette; the hand of the man cuckolding lights it for him. As the pounding, Euro-Pop soundtrack is brought up, we realize already, that Spero is one of life's unlucky and that the winners in life realize this and take advantage of it. This is artfully conveyed by inattentive listeners and the inability to 'strike a flame' with females throughout the film.
A year later, Spero visits a Neapolitan fortune teller who assures him that cards can't lie and that they say he will meet a woman with the name of a flower. This fateful rendezvous will 'bring' money and romance. This scene is particularly hilarious.
A full six months later and we find Spero shipboard in his role of bored pianist in charge of the standard 'cruise repertoire.' (It is my understanding that Verdone, a fine multi-instrumentalist, plays his own instrumental parts in Iris Blonde.) Romeo's deft touch on the piano forte attracts the attention of veteran one Marguerite of Belgium a past it, 50- Something who is both a singer of the Jacque Brel cannon and a gal hot for the rather handsome Spero/Verdone. She does have a flower name, as well is this The Prophecy of Naples? They hook up and we come to see that - lurking just below the surface of a ribald or even farcical comedy - is a rather grand insight into the scheme of things, in the Italian manner: 'Love' convenient, passionate, mature or otherwise is revealed as a very fickle mistress.
Well into his forties, Spero and Marguerite commence a relationship of convenience and Spero is quickly miserable with the package: Marguerite's absurd French Poodle, her insistence at being 'a little girl,' her enormous sexual appetite which is about security and not sex while often hysterically funny, Verdone is on about much more serious matters, indeed.
After one particularly galling night with Marguerite, Spero offers to walk the poodle and meets the tres-sexy Iris Blonde at the fast food restaurant where she works. Blonde is a fast talking, gum chewing, cigarette-smoking user from the word go: She smokes one of Spero's cigarettes, eats part of his desert and asks if she can keep his lighter. She also says that while of Roman distraction, she chose to live here in Belgium with her father, who apparently always swore at her, a not insignificant point. In the midst of these declarations she gets a call on the house phone from a boyfriend whom she tells she has hepatitis, much to Spero's chagrin. She is not, of course, infected and convinces Spero to give up his cute lighter before running off into the night when her date arrives in a flashy sports car. Upon leaving the joint, Spero sees her name tag, 'Iris,' another flower and part of the fortune-teller's prophecy.
Smitten, Spero returns next day to the hamburger joint with flowers and is told that Blonde is at the famous Charleroi cathedral; Iris is a classically trained singer. Spero hot foots it, again with the poodle in tow, to Charleroi, where in absurd voice-over Blonde 'sings' beautiful motets. (Verdone has a thing about choirs; he has a similar absurd choir in Acqua E Sapone and is making some statement lost on me. Amusing, though.)
The poodle breaks free from Romeo's grasp and the snooty choirmaster (a priest) calls Blonde and her singing 'slut-like,' which causes her to remind him that while he lays Blonde, despite being married, he is jealous of her freedom. She storms from the cathedral, Spero and fully dressed poodle, in tow. (The girl at the hamburger joint who had told Spero of Blonde's choral work has a damaged eye and Spero does an impression of the unfortunate young lady to amuse Blonde which is gut-wrenching and cruel but very European. Iris, in fact, can't get enough of it.)
The two retreat to a café where the latter tells Spero she is a poet and reads a minor, if not bad, work from her cannon. Spero finds it very good indeed and informs her that he is a composer specializing in 'modern sounds' and he has a hunch that a partnership with Blonde will result in great things. He Spero, will pay for the expense of setting Blonde's words to his music, of course. What can Blonde - a 25 year old nymphomaniac of dubious character say but, 'yes,' to such an offer? Yet another flame arrives at the coffee shop and she insists Spero kiss her so the flame won't see her. He obliges.
The next two scenes comprise Spero's break up with Margauarite, the 50-something Bruel interpreting, girlfriend. Like so many Italian comedies, these scenes are whimsical in the extreme or perhaps jarring, to American sensibilities. Much or all of the preceding scenes are realistic they could have happened whereas these two break-up scenes are completely improbable fluff and very funny indeed. This is not because, as is the case with many American films, the director simply lost control of the film's 'tone,' like a late-model Pacino film, wherein Al lurches from character to character, leaving you scratching your head. Rather, it is as if Verdone said, 'Right, let's inject a whimsical scene here.' And, in his hands, it works.
The result is that Verdone is invited by Blonde to move into her flat, which he does. On his very first evening, Blonde beds a male visitor and next morning, she informs Spero, that henceforth, the two must be completely and inseparably, unified: They will compose, rehearse, record. Period. And, she adds, it is agreed they must, never, EVER 'fuck.' Spero, crestfallen agrees. Phone rings it's yet another Iris Blonde boy friend. Spero sees the handwriting: the ultra-sexy Blonde, is a good-time, (if intelligent) nymphomaniac, who, recognizing both Spero's talent as well as his essential weakness is going to let him make THEM, famous. In the classic pattern of male denial of the obvious, Romeo Spero agrees to such a Faustian pact.
Romeo and Blonde set about recording her words, his tunes and while this movie earned excellent reviews, many hated the music. The New York Times, on the other hand, singled it out. I fall in the latter camp. It's great and vastly better than the most stuff on the airwaves that passes for Pop these days. Germini's (Iris) displays her perfect French, before the pair decides that French ain't a rockin' language and opt for English. Germini sings her own parts with aplomb.
In a rehearsal studio the studio's real strange owners are impressed enough with the pair to offer them a spot at a nightclub on a slow night just as real clubs do. The pair are excited, perhaps overly so.
The next few scenes show the evolution of the act, Iris Blonde and the Freezer,' and are simply hysterical. You could hate every other scene in the film, but you would have to concede, these scenes are funny. A name is needed; discarded candidates include Iris Kiss, ('sounds like a prostitute,') to Romeo and Juliet. A new name deserves a new look and Blonde dresses and shaves n' styles her partner and even decrees that Romeo's testosterone, must 'only show in the corner of the eyes.' Blonde cuts and dyes her own golden tresses auburn and looks as a brunette, more Italian than the Italians. Finally, the duo repair to a church that the Lord might smile on their act; they light candles and Iris, probably lying, tells Romeo, that perhaps they can make their act work, off-stage.
Romeo lights an additional candle and tells Blonde she'll figure it out one day I still haven't and it was obviously important...
The pair arrives late for their first gig- the screaming from the promoter an accurate rendering of the Belgique-Francais temper and quite amusing to this son of a Frenchman. But their act is a smash: Genuinely great, driving pop music with Germini singing and dancing incredibly, while Verdone handles the keyboards and guitar with aplomb.
A handsome promoter sends a gofer to Germini after a particularly scintillating show and she returns to tell Romeo the bad news: Their celebratory evening is off; the promoter only wants to see her, which precipitates the predictable shouting fall-out. Romeo, on the other hand, goes to their planned dinner, solo, 'not like a suicide,' as Blonde suggests, but because it's dignified. Blonde infers that she will negotiate for the both of them and hey presto! off they go in their separate ways.
Her early A.M. appointment takes place in what is apparently Brussels's must luxurious hotel and the handsome promoter immediately puts drops in her drinks but wait! No, he's not trying to drug Blonde, because his 'boyfriend' helps him lift the glass to his lips - the drops are for him. Prior to dejuener, Blonde calls Spero at his restaurant and the latter relays to his fellow diners, in an hilarious bit, what Blonde might be up to: 'Gay, orgy, late night in a hotel,' all out of context of course, but what must the restaurant's patrons make of it? Very funny indeed.
Spero repairs to his hotel with a bottle of champagne and waits for Iris. Verdone's total mastery (and ever-evolving) plastic control of facial expressions is incredible. The miserable look as he waits in the semi-dark, his champagne growing ever-warm, a look eight parts misery, two parts hope against hope, is a real triumph. Blonde returns and gives him what he perhaps thinks is something she's been 'saving,' they go at it, with some pretty passionate sesso, tastefully done and well within the 'R' rating. (Imagine the surprise, mine included, of parents, fans of the innocuous Aqua E Sapone, who rented Iris Blonde expecting same, yet who found a much more adult film.)
Comes the morning and both have something to say to the other from the conjugal bed. He: 'I love you,' She: 'The promoters are only interested in me, you don't interest them.' When the shock subsides, Spero goes berserk and begins totaling the cost of their 'relationship,' broken beds hers, sanitary napkins hers, it's all very painful, funny and true to life. Just as Verdone had earlier, jacked the film into the realm of whimsy, he now startles us by wrenching it, gut-wrenching back into the realm of all-too real life.
Iris departs to be a 25 year old star with her 'whole life ahead' of her. Romeo in the film's most stunning scenes departs for a bench in a Belgian park near you. Verdone's destroyed Romeo, in strange bum's clothes, and heavy shadow on jowls, munching a poor boy sandwich belissimo! Anyone who has 'been there,' that is, chased the approval of a someone merely using you all along, can relate to these scenes including the inevitable 'revenge' fantasy sequence where Iris appears in white, singing their music and Verdone, dressed as a Mafioso, opens fire
Iris owes Romeo about 10 grand in our money and the latter locates Iris's transplanted Roman Dad in an industrial outskirt. This and the following scene do fail, to a degree which renders this film merely 'good' when it could have been great. Unlike Acqua E Sapone (which incredibly has a similar theme 13 years earlier) with its perfect psychological resolution, Verdone like writers since the Romans - takes the easy route; makes a quick stab at the little detail of 'motive,' and then says, 'nah,' and attempts to cover whole thing up with humor.
The 'Iris Dad' scene starts promisingly enough. The Dad is a loud, yelling, person with a younger subservient wife. Didn't Iris say, upon meeting Romeo way back at the fast food joint that her Dad was a shouter? She did. Isn't her Dad with a hot, far-too-young nubile? He is. Doesn't her Dad ignore (it's as bad as a clerk in the Bay Area) Romeo's repeated protests that he REALLY needs the money Iris owes him. Yes. So, it's quite obvious (there's even a photo of a young, coy Iris in a Bikini) what happened and extremely plausible: That a yelling, disinterested father, a libertine to boot, would grow such a daughter. Points taken. However, even for European audiences, the hints are far too subtle.
Iris's Dad recognizes Spero from the early 70's when Spero wrote (supposedly) 'Pretty Without Make-up.' He has no answer for his financial straights and Spero readies to leave in anger. Amazingly, the Father talks Spero not only into staying for coffee but appearing at an 'All-Italian night' for that community in Belgium. This is an amazing scene, but again, it's far-too-subtle for one to suss that Romeo is easily overpowered by suggestion (which in turn harkens to the fortune teller) and that just like Daddy, Iris has mastered the art of preying on the weak. Romeo does turn up to play his hits while backing the famed, Mino Reitano, a beloved Italian stylist. (Though hilariously, he's forgotten the chords.) He splits abruptly.
Romeo returns home in time to just miss Iris's guilty-conscience phone message. She mentions she's leaving for Paris the following early A.M.
Romeo finds Iris at the Station in the restaurant with a brutally short haircut and strange make-up. She belatedly pays him; he tears up the check (fool). Romeo asks if she wouldn't like him to declare, 'go get em,' baby,' 'knock em' dead' as she progresses in her career and she says, yes, that's exactly what he should do.
Romeo sees Iris her to her train where she begs he accompany her to Paris after confessing that her new group has changed the lyrics to the songs the two composed. Iris says to come with her, she can't make it alone, but Romeo isn't going to be a gofer and declines. He entreats her to change her mind and turns his back to do his Jacqueline, (the girl with the damaged eye) one final time, but it doesn't do the trick, and the Eurostar (or predecessor) glides silently out of the station. In the epilogue, Romeo has survived as The Freezer and Verdone sings the final song of loss, with incredible skill.
Iris Blonde succeeds in being a fine and hilarious film but fails in its grander aim detailing the human habit of pursuing the unobtainable. This is because the incredible depth of psychological insight Verdone applies can and does gets lost in a vehicle of such modest scope. Not because the vehicle is in any way, a bad car, but you don't generally drive diplomats about in Ford Fiestas! In all, a memorable entertainment.
Summer 2004 -
Ed-9020 October 2000Although the film was more risque than I had expected it to be, the leads are quite good; many funny moments. I particularly enjoyed the expressions of the actors--the Belgian, Italian, French manners were quite interesting to see from an American point of view. I recommend this film, although not for the kiddies...
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planktonrules30 September 2006I really enjoyed this film--especially since it was so very, very different. In fact, aside from one other film (Une Femme De Ménage), I can't say I've seen another film like it. Une Femme De Menage reminded me of this film because the leading actor in both films superficially look alike (both middle-aged balding ordinary-looking guys) and because both involve these men falling in love with women significantly younger AND different from themselves.
The film begins with Romeo going to see a fortune teller in one of the funniest scenes in the film. While the film is not really a comedy, there are several funny segments in this romantic slice of life film. The fortune teller tells him that he is destined to meet a woman named after a flower who is a singer and they will fall in love--after which, he will become rich and successful. Romeo truly believes her and latches on to the first lady who vaguely fits this description--a very annoying woman with a very, very limited singing range (it's the music of Jacques Brel or nothing). Pretty soon he realizes it's a mistake and stumbles upon a woman who seems more like the fortune teller's description. And, with a lot of coaching, Romeo is able to help this very flaky woman to make something of her life--partnering up with him to make a techno band that makes it big in the club scene.
While this is a very basic idea of the plot, it goes a lot further and deeper. What I especially appreciated was that the leads were far from perfect (they both were pretty screwy in fact--especially Iris) and the movie never becomes a cliché or predictable sort of Hollywood-type film. To me this is its biggest strength, though many who want everything to work out perfectly and magically will probably find the film ultimately depressing. But because it seemed much more real than the typical film and because of the odd quirkiness of the film, I strongly recommend you see it with someone you love.
By the way, parents this is a pretty sexy movie and there is a lot of adult dialog, promiscuity and a super-brief nude scene (though you don't see a lot). It's a film I would think twice about allowing the kids to watch.