Passion

Release Date: May 2nd, 2013
Running Time: 94 minutes
Directed by: Brian De Palma
Written by: Brian De Palma (based on the 2010 French film Crime D'Amour by Alain Corneau & Natalie Carter)
Starring: Noomi Rapace, Rachel McAdams, Karoline Herfurth

Brian De Palma may well be the second Master of Suspense, following of course the original bearer of that title, Alfred Hitchcock. De Palma made a number of films in the 1970s and 1980s that qualify him in that respect, notably Sisters (1973), Obsession (1976), Carrie (1976), The Fury (1978), Dressed to Kill (1980), Blow Out (1981), and Body Double (1984). And Passion is thoroughly reminiscent of some of those early-career suspense flicks. It's an erotic thriller that nears B-movie status, but in an entertaining way.

The story centers on Christine Stanford (Rachel McAdams), the high-powered executive of a big-time advertising firm, and her assistant Isabelle (Noomi Rapace). McAdams is over the top as the power-tripping, passive-aggressive corporate "bitch"—especially in her psychologically abusive treatment of the more mild-mannered Isabelle. But when I say that McAdams is over the top, I don't mean that disparagingly—I think that's what De Palma wanted, and the role requires, for a movie like this. Her performance is on point. Equally impressive is Rapace as Isabelle, who, we soon discover, is maybe not as meek as she seems. Issues of corporate hierarchy and sexism that women face in business are continually present, but in the foreground is the power struggle between Christine and Isabelle. Their relationship alternates between seemingly close, affectionate friendship—fraught with physical attraction and sexual tension—to staunch rivalry and competition. 

The film borders on soap opera melodrama, only with more graphic sex and violence. Sex is pervasive throughout the film, with overt sexual innuendo displayed not only between Christine and Isabelle, but also between Isabelle and her assistant Dani (Karoline Herfurth). I suppose some kind of symbolism might be interpreted from the fact that these three women are blond, brunette, and redhead. Christine's sleazy British boyfriend Dirk (Paul Anderson) is also in the mix. The firm they work at is located in Germany, with business trips to Paris and New York being regular occurrences. This establishes a cosmopolitan, big business, "high life" feel, as Christine in particular drinks expensive liquor and wears expensive clothes. Isabelle is more reserved, less confident, and lives in a smaller, more modest apartment. And so the power dynamic between the two is clear. Or so we think, because Isabelle may just be the smarter one.  

Isabelle comes up with an idea for an account that turns out to be a big hit with their clients, effectively saving the day and making the firm a lot of money. We're happy for her, and think that she will finally get her moment to shine from under the weight of the overbearing Christine. But Christine takes credit for it, blackmailing Isabelle into keeping quiet, and Isabelle's position as second to Christine seems secured. Maybe Christine is the smarter one, not Isabelle? Then the story takes a turn. An extreme, dramatic, unexpected one. And then another turn, and another. There's no need for me to elaborate on these plot twists; just watch for yourself and enjoy the ride.

Passion is adapted from the 2010 French film Crime D'Amour (Love Crime) starring Kristin Scott Thomas and Ludivine Sagnier as Christine and Isabelle, respectively. The two movies follow the same basic storyline for about the first half, at which point they diverge considerably. Love Crime is told as a more conventional thriller, playing it relatively serious and straightforward, lacking the technical and stylistic flourishes that Passion revels in. And Passion embellishes the sex and violence to gratuitous levels in contrast to the more subtle Love Crime. The sexual overtones between the two female leads are amped up in Passion, as are the qualities of the main characters in general, as Christine is far more manipulative, Isabelle more insecure, and the Dirk character more slimy. Both films are good enough, and different enough, to earn a viewing in their own right for cinephiles who may like comparing English-language remakes of European films. But Passion is infinitely more campy, which ultimately makes it more entertaining.

This is little more than good, trashy fun. Suspenseful, scandalous, chilling, and completely absorbing despite also being totally implausible. Sure, one could argue that there are deeper subtexts at play, explorations of power and sexual dynamics, psychology, and sexism in business. But really this is largely pure escapist cinema as far as I'm concerned. It's well acted by the two leads, and well directed by De Palma who pulls no punches with the suspense-filled score, askew camera angles, and effective use of shadows and lighting. With elements of film noir that are intensified to demented proportions, this film might more accurately be described as "trash noir" or "sexploitation". A movie like this can dance a fine line between being considered good or bad, and regard for it may slip more or less to one side or the other depending on one's mood when watching it. On the night I watched it, I guess I was in the right mood.
Rating (out of 5): ★★★
• Nik Dobrinsky / Boy Drinks Ink
April 19th, 2015