If a young couple hire an apparently perfect nanny to look after their two young children, allowing them to return to the carefree world of socialising and professional fulfilment that they once enjoyed … well, in theory, that nanny could just turn out to be a thoroughly nice person. But in the movies she must gradually reveal herself to be a sinister weirdo. This strained and unsatisfying bad-nanny drama is by the French film-maker Lucie Borleteau, who directed Fidelio: Alice’s Journey, a weird sex-aboard-a-container-ship drama
It is based on the Goncourt-winning bestseller by Leïla Slimani, in turn based on a real-life murder case. Myriam (Leïla Bekhti) and Paul (Antoine Reinartz) are a lawyer and record producer in Paris whose relationship is creaking under the strain of two young kids. So they hire a nanny (after the traditional “audition” montage) and this is the prim, brisk, efficient Louise, played by the estimable French character actor Karin Viard. Inevitably, lonely and envious Louise conceives an unwholesome obsession with her employers’ happy home – and the casual well-being that she has made possible.
Lullaby is a curious film. It doesn’t deliver the ruthlessly crafted genre thrills of Curtis Hanson’s 90s Hollywood gripper The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, because it isn’t sure how satirically detached or unsympathetic it wishes to be towards Louise; neither does it deliver the icy and sustained Haneke-esque horror that it appears to promise in its first shot of a sleeping baby. And the satirical issue of a working mother’s supposed guilt is also a bit of a dead letter. In the real case, the nanny was an immigrant – not here, so that satirical avenue would appear to be closed off.
There are some startling and shocking scenes, especially one involving octopuses, and Viard’s performance is good. But there is something disconcertingly redundant about this movie, which pulls its punches with the final grisly scene.
as 2022 draws to a close, and you’re joining us today from India, we have a small favour to ask. It’s been a challenging year for millions – from the war in Ukraine, to floods in Pakistan, heatwaves across Europe, protests in Iran, global economic turbulence, and continued repercussions from the global pandemic. The Guardian has delivered rigorous, fiercely independent reporting every day. It’s been no mean feat. Will you support our work today?
Being a reader-funded news publication allows us to keep our journalism open and free for everyone across the world. This feels more vital than ever. In 2022, millions have turned to us for trusted reporting on the events that shaped our world. We believe equal access to fact-checked news is essential for all of us.
Unlike many others, the Guardian has no shareholders and no billionaire owner, so our reporting is always free from commercial and political influence. This emboldens us to seek out the truth, and fearlessly demand better from the powerful.
Now, more than ever, we understand not everyone is in a position to pay for news. But if you are, we need you this December. Whether you give a little or a lot, your funding will power our open, independent journalism for 2023 and beyond. And regardless of your ability to pay, we welcome you as a reader.
0 Comments