Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: INEXORABLE [Toronto International Film Festival 2021 - Virtual]
The texture of story being inferred in its conceit sometimes makes for interesting bedfellows. The context in what seems like "Fatal Attraction" within "Inexorable" [Special Presentations] is much more diabolical though it requires connection of dots across the board. But it paints an aspect of hubris within the thought of consequence. Marcel (played by Benoît Poelvoorde) is a famous writer with a publisher magnate wife who has moved back to her family estate in the country after the death of her father. Like "Gloria" of US lore, Gloria (Alba Gaïa Bellugi) here is a drifter who shows up with just the right things to say but the red flags (and white dress for that matter) that don't cause needed responses since because of inherent trust which is her smokescreen. Gloria knows what she is doing but the motive must be unpackaged though the progression. Certain textures of taste booth in the parallels of characters are dead giveaways as the story progresses.
But like "Swimming", the sins of the father are an interesting diametric because we need to feel empathy for the protagonist which is actually the antagonist as well (duality in effect). Granted the dramatic nature is played up but the psychological repercussions obviously are valid. Textures across the board of abandonment and Freudian foibles are obviously resonant but also the primal as reflected as well just in the play of it but also in the metaphor of the wolf and screaming in the tall grass. Marcel seemingly is unaware until way too late but the ego gets in the way though the irony of the actual truth both in his life and work nevertheless come seemingly as a shock to him. The disconnect in terms of his frailty comes in the protection of his family in certain ways. It is a motif that has been reflected in a couple of films at TIFF but from different angles. It is notion of what is deserved or what was never given. Granted "Inexorable" plays more to the thriller side of it but in doing so brings in question the answers that were never given or perhaps those actions that were never taken. B-
By Tim Wassberg
