Years after her once-promising career as a professional pianist is tragically sidelined, a young musician still haunted by the past receives a second chance at making things right in director Denis Dercourt's elegant tale of shattered dreams and delicate mutual dependence. Upon performing for the examination board in order to gain entrance into the prestigious musical Conservatory, young pianist Mélanie (Julie Richalet) finds her concentration shattered when the chairwoman of the jury - herself
a famous concert pianist - carelessly signs an autograph for a fan. Her endless hours of rigorous training suddenly rendered useless by the pass of a pen, Mélanie remains unable to regain her composure after the incident and subsequently gives up music altogether after failing to pass the test. Years later, Mélanie is a file clerk at a well-renowned law firm whose skills soon catch the eye of senior partner M. Fouchécourt (Pascal Greggory). Impressed by her solid work ethic and unwavering dependability, Fouchécourt hires Mélanie as a live-in nanny whose duty it will be to watch over his son during an extended business trip. Upon arriving at Fouchécourt's lavish countryside mansion, Mélanie makes the acquaintance of Mme. Fouchécourt (Catherine Frot) - the very same pianist whose thoughtless action sent Mélanie's life into an irreversible downward spiral. It seems that now the tables have turned, and Mme. Fouchécourt herself has lost the confidence to perform. Her frazzled nerves somehow calmed by the presence of the quiet new helper, Mme. Fouchécourt implores Mélanie to sit in on her recitals and become her personal page turner as she attempts to overcome her debilitating fear of failure. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
The serving temperature of revenge has seldom been colder, nor the time of preparation longer, than for this gourmet French plat froid from writer-director Denis Dercourt.
It's a small French delicacy, tart, acerbic and cynical, that focuses on three or four characters and yet manages to bring them and their dilemmas to vivid life.
The stakes in this story seem too low to justify its audience's attention. If The Page Turner were a novel, it would hardly be a page turner. Why should we hold films to a lower standard?
[Director] Dercourt's manipulation of his characters and his imagery can be a little heavy-handed, but there's nary a wrong note in the performances of his exceedingly fine cast.
If only the story could have been as involved and layered as some of the incredible music (or as good as a page-turner book), this would be a must-see.
A finely honed plot that effectively traps the audience in its convoluted suspense-laden web, but strains for credibility when it comes to basic logic.
One of those delectable, upstairs-downstairs affairs worth savoring, and a suspenseful psychological thriller which rates right up there with the best of the genre.
Dercourt washes the film in a chillingly remorseless suspense. . . . the story, as taut as a razor-sharp piano string, offers a few sly, subtle sexual knots before the final bloody note is struck.
this taut little film is a psychological thriller about revenge. If the Japanese horror adaptation hadn't already used the title THE GRUDGE, that might have served as a more appropriate title for this drama.
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