Annette (film)

Annette
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Leos Carax
Screenplay by	Ron Mael Russell Mael Leos Carax
Story by	Ron Mael Russell Mael
Produced by	Charles Gillibert Paul-Dominique Win Vacharasinthu Adam Driver
Starring	Adam Driver Marion Cotillard Simon Helberg
Cinematography	Caroline Champetier
Edited by	Nelly Quettier
Music by	Ron Mael Russell Mael
Production companies	CG Cinema Tribus P Films Detailfilm Eurospace Scope Pictures Wrong Men[1]
Distributed by	UGC Distribution[1]
Release date	6 July 2021 (2021-07-06) (Cannes) 7 July 2021 (2021-07-07) (France)[1]
Running time	140 minutes
Countries	France[1] Germany Belgium United States Mexico Japan Switzerland
Languages	English[1] French
Budget	$15.5 million[2]
Box office	$3.1 million[3]

Annette is a 2021 musical psychological drama film directed by Leos Carax (in his English-language debut), and with a screenplay by Ron Mael and Russell Mael of Sparks, and Carax, from an original story, music and songs by the band. The plot follows a stand-up comedian (Adam Driver) and his opera singer wife (Marion Cotillard) and how their lives are changed when they have their first child. Simon Helberg and Devyn McDowell also starred.

Annette was released in France on 7 July 2021 by UGC Distribution, a day after premiering as the opening film at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival.^[4] The film has received positive reviews from critics.

Plot[]

After a swift courtship, provocative stand-up comedian Henry McHenry publicly declares his engagement to world-famous soprano Ann Desfranoux. Shortly afterward, Ann gives birth to their daughter Annette, portrayed by a wooden marionette puppet. The marriage becomes fraught with Henry having to take care of Annette while Ann's career flourishes, taking her on an international tour.

Some time later, Ann has a dream of six women who come forward with allegations of past abuse by Henry and eventually a nightmare of Henry almost killing her himself. Back home, Henry's own career begins to spiral, exacerbated by an onstage meltdown, and he comes to resent Ann for her continued success. The two schedule a private cruise to mend their relationship, but it ends in disaster when Ann falls overboard during a stormy night as Henry drunkenly forces her to waltz with him. Following her mother's death, the infant Annette suddenly gains the ability to sing using her mother’s voice and uses it to haunt Henry.

Though cleared of legal suspicion for Ann's death, Henry finds himself at a financial dead-end without her income. He contacts Ann's former accompanist, revealing Annette's singing voice and suggesting they use her gift for a musical act. The accompanist reluctantly agrees, having been in love with Ann, and as they tour together, Baby Annette proves a worldwide hit. Henry continues drinking heavily and staying out late, haunted by Ann. One night, when returning home, Henry hears Annette singing the melody of “We Love Each Other So Much,” supposedly it being only Ann and Henry’s song. He confronts the accompanist, who implies that he is Annette's real father. In retaliation, Henry drowns him in the backyard pool, witnessed by Annette from her bedroom window. Henry plans one final performance at the "Hyperbowl" halftime show, but she refuses to sing, instead declaring "Daddy kills people" to the packed stadium. Henry is tried and convicted.

A few years later, Annette visits her father in prison and when he tells her she looks different, she speaks not from the puppet sitting before him, but from a human child standing at the window. Annette denies his attempts at reconciliation, and even blames her mother for using her to get revenge. Henry and Annette share one final goodbye before she leaves him alone, her fate ambiguous. The Annette puppet lies discarded and lifeless on the floor.

Cast[]

• Adam Driver as Henry McHenry
• Marion Cotillard as Ann Defrasnoux
  • Catherine Trottmann as Ann’s singing soprano voice
• Simon Helberg as The Accompanist
• Devyn McDowell as Annette
  • Hebe Griffiths as the singing voice of Annette’s puppet form.
• Angèle, Kiko Mizuhara, Julia Bullock, Claron McFadden, Noémie Schellens and Natalie Mendoza as the Six Accuser Chorus
• Natalia Lafourcade as LAPD police officer
• Kanji Furutachi as Doctor
• Rila Fukushima, Eva Van Der Gucht and Laura Jansen as Nurses
• Rebecca Sjöwall as Connie O'Connor
• Nino Porzio as Sheriff Garoni
• Wim Opbrouck as Baby Annette announcer
• Russell Mael as Russell Mael/Jet pilot
• Ron Mael as Ron Mael/Jet pilot
• Leos Carax as Leos Carax
• Nastya Carax as Nastya
• Rebecca Dyson-Smith as Photographer
• Graciela María as Photographer
• Colin Lainchbury-Brown as Hyperbowl announcer
• Geoffrey Carey as Ape of God announcer
• Davide Jakubowski as Sheriff Humprey

Production[]

It was announced in November 2016 that Leos Carax was set to make his English language film debut, with Adam Driver, Rooney Mara and Rihanna in talks to star in the film. Filming was slated to begin in Spring 2017.^[2] In March 2017, Amazon Studios acquired the film; however, Mara and Rihanna were no longer involved in the project.^[5] In May, Michelle Williams was cast to replace Mara, with filming now slated to begin in July.^[6] Production on the film stalled, with screenwriters Ron and Russell Mael attributing the delay to Driver's commitments to Star Wars. Filming was moved to begin in Summer 2019.^[7]

Development resumed on the project in May 2019, with Marion Cotillard now cast to replace Williams.^[8][9] In October 2019, Simon Helberg joined the cast of the film.^[10]

Filming began in August 2019, with shooting taking place in Los Angeles, Brussels, and Bruges^[11] as well as various locations in Germany including Münster, Cologne, and Bonn.^[12] Production concluded in November 2019.^[13] In January 2020, it was revealed that Belgian singer Angèle was cast in an undisclosed role.^[14]

Music[]

The first song from the score and soundtrack, "So May We Start", was released as a single on 28 May 2021.^[15]

The film's stars, while not trained, do most of their own singing.^[16] Cotillard has sung in previous film roles and has had a musical career outside film, and Driver has sung in previous film roles as well.

A second single, "We Love Each Other So Much" was released via streaming on 25 June 2021. The soundtrack Annette (Cannes Edition - Selections from the Motion Picture Soundtrack) was released on CD and double vinyl on MasterWorks / Milan label though Sony Music: it contains 15 tracks.

The film additionally contains excerpts from Sparks' discography, including "Rock, Rock, Rock", "Thanks But No Thanks", "Bon Voyage" and "Calm Before the Opera".

Themes[]

Douglas Laman of Collider observed that the movie’s use of a puppet to reflect the titular character of Annette not only represented a continuation of fascination with puppetry from the band Sparks but also a physical manifestation of how the character Henry McHenry views the women in his life as just objects to be manipulated.^[17]

Release[]

Annette debuted at the Cannes Film Festival on 6 July 2021.^[18] and was released in France the same day by UGC Distribution.^[19][20]

The film was given a limited North American theatrical release on 6 August 2021 prior to digital streaming on Amazon Prime Video on 20 August 2021.^[21]

In June 2021, the film's UK and Ireland distribution rights were acquired by streaming service MUBI.^[22] It was also selected in 'Gala Presentation' section of 26th Busan International Film Festival and will be screened in the festival.^[23]

Reception[]

Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reports an approval rating of 70% based on 215 reviews, and an average rating of 6.70/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "A dreamy, delicate dance between farce and fantasia, Annette is a magnificently ludicrous rock opera whose experimental approach to its emotional extremes is an ambitious, if not peculiar, return for director Leos Carax."^[24] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 67 out of 100, based on 51 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".^[25]

References[]