neumu [ cinematronic ]




	La Vie Promise
	Olivier Dahan Isabelle Huppert, Pascal Greggory, Maud Forget, André Marcon, Fabienne Babe 2002		The last phrase that comes to mind while gazing at the mature, dignified beauty of French actress Isabelle Huppert is "cheap floozy." "Aging hooker" and "trashy, over-the-hill slut" don't register, either. Yet, the spurious drama "La Vie Promise" puts her into the role of Sylvia, a dead-end streetwalker with a history of instability. As a rule, Huppert's eyes project fierce intellect and self-sufficiency that run counter to Sylvia's bruised, self-destructive ways. But that's why they call it acting. Huppert is capable of dominating a scene at will. If she's not the logical choice for Sylvia, she still makes the camera her bitch — or john. Sylvia has an estranged teenage daughter named Laurence, played by a memorable newcomer with the paradoxical name of Maud Forget. The girl insists on being a part of her mother's life, and Sylvia is just as determined to keep her distance. An act of violence forces them to go on the lam together. Ostensibly, they're on a journey of mutual discovery and redemption: Sylvia, searching for her now-blurry past; Laurence, hoping for maternal care. A plot-driving mystery man (Pascal Greggory) offers them a ride. Laurence and Sylvia lose and find each other so many times that it feels like a genealogical scavenger hunt. The ending lacks a decent payoff. Conclusion? Without Huppert, there wouldn't be much "Promise."