Wild Grass

Fifty years ago, Alain Resnais directed Last Year at Marienbad, one of the most intriguingly confusing films ever made. At 88 he's still going strong, with 2010's Wild Grass, which made it into the top ten of the Indiewire poll. Like Marienbad, it flirts with our perception of what is real and not, introducing a kind of dreamlike, hallucinatory quality.

The action centers around a man (Andre Dusollier), finding a wallet that was stolen from a woman (Sabine Azema). This triggers something in Dusollier, and though he turns it into the police, he hopes that something will come of it. When Azema calls him to thank him, he then starts stalking her, writing her letters and eventually slashing her tires. She calls the police, but when he stops suddenly she starts obsessing about him, as if his obsession had transferred to her.

Nothing is completely clear about this film, but it was constantly fascinating. I had no idea where it was going, and small details layered upon each other. Azema is a dentist, but with a nimbus of bright-red hair. Dusollier's wife (Anne Consigny) knows of his obsession with Azema, but seems to have no problem with it. And Azema's dental-practice partner (Emmanuelle Devos) is concerned over her friend's situation, but takes time to make out with Dusollier.

The film is also visually stunning. The color scheme and framing are exquisite (I loved a shot with Dusollier in the foreground on top of a ladder, while Matthieu Amalric, as a policeman, was on the ground in the background). A set of a revival-house cinema across the street from a cafe was lovingly rendered (the playing was The Bridges of Toko-Ri, which tied into Azema being a pilot of vintage military aircraft).

I think the film requires multiple viewings to completely suss what it's about, but even after one viewing it captivated me, and I won't quickly forget it.