Le Divorce - say NO to custody of this movie

Title: Le Divorce
Release Year: 2003
Actors: Kate Hudson, Naomi Watts, Jean-Marc Barr, Stockard Channing, Glenn Close
Director: James Ivory
Story and Screenplay: Diane Johnson / James Ivory et al.
Music / Cinematography: Richard Robbins / Pierre Lhomme
Producer: Ismail Merchant et al.
Studio: Fox Searchlight

That’s the bad thing about love, you end up getting hurt the only way to escape it is if you die (or kill yourself)

Hmm… something I somehow agree on. What? It’s true. How I wish I have the balls to do it (yes I have them but they’re not made for such purpose). Despite the fact that I was able to relate to that one line, this movie was a complete waste of time. It was two hours of agonizing incomprehension. Not that I am incapable of understanding, but the movie certainly went all over the place and I mean all over without really making itself clear at any point.

This all happens in France, okay it’s not in French and even if some lines were, there were subtitles, just in case you’re thinking that it’s the reason why I didn’t understand it, cuz poor riddler no nothing more than English. It was about two stepsisters Isabel Walker (Hudson), a young chic lady about to try his luck in France and Roxy (Watts) a poet who was about to be deserted by her so grateful French husband. Wait, before I continue I’m gonna tell you everything now so you won’t have to waste your time seeing it. It’s enough that I have to sit thru this for two hours (riddler cares).



I don’t know how to decipher this cuz I have at most very little knowledge of France and its people, that’s why I dunno if men on that side of the planet are that worth it to be tagged as pigs. I can hardly believe what I was seeing in this movie. And the family was even supportive of it. But somehow despite the situation of Roxy, the movie failed to draw sentiments form the audience. I say it’s not Naomi’s fault but the script and the director’s. Don’t worry though, the writer found a way to make this guy pay, just to show that justice exists. “He’s a very bad guy, he must be punished” maybe that’s what went on the writer’s mind so she kills the character and throws him in garbage. This is via the husband of the woman he cheated with.

On the other hand, Roxy had an affair with the 70 yr.old uncle of her sister’s husband, which by the way don’t look anywhere near 70, he’s like 50 or something. And just like the character, the movie takes on something new that they won’t be able to handle. This film portrayed these characters as stereotypes of the young American women. One who has no direction and a poet who ends up trying to kill herself but fails. What is it with people that they think writers always kill themselves??? And that American women are mere whores without any sort of refinement? I dunno this movie is crazy and I’m getting crazy just thinking about it.



And oh, by the way, on, the side, they also tackled a fight over a painting and insanity. This movie tackled a lot of things and I greatly feel for the actors in this one. I love Kate and Naomi. In have high respects for Channing and Close but I don’t know what came into their minds doing a movie like this.

Just so I won’t waste any more of your time and my time as well, just don’t see it. I’m pretty sure in the first 30 minutes of it, you’d start to feel like you’ve been watching this movie for three years. Yeah, it delivers quite a few laughs but it cannot compensate for the length of boredom you had to endure. A comedy of manners that just have no manners. I already signed the divorce papers for this movie, siting irreconcilable differences. Don’t make the same mistake that I did. Watching a movie is a commitment and this one’s offering no pre-nup.

Grading Sheet:
Story – 14%
Screenplay – 9%
Direction / Execution – 12%
Acting – 15%
Technical Aspect – 15%
Total: 67% = C