In FRANCE, France de Meurs (played by Lea Seydoux) is a telejournalist who goes through a personal crisis and tries to change her style. At the beginning we see her arranging news scenes that appear to be off the cuff, but are being artfully staged or even faked, probably for ratings. Wherever she goes, France runs into people who know her from television; she has given up her private life for fame. Even when she thinks she has managed to shake her admirers (or stalkers), she finds she cannot avoid them. Much of the thrust is lost in translating the text. One good touch is that the production designer creates a scene and then makes many small objects in that scene the same striking color, giving it more of a feel of artificiality. The film as a whole is reminiscent of NETWORK, though France is no Diana Christensen.

Released theatrically 12/10/21; available on various streaming services. Rating: high +1 (-4 to +4), or 6/10.

Film Credits: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9714030/reference

What others are saying: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/france_2021

					Mark R. Leeper
					Copyright 2022 Mark R. Leeper