Irène Jacob

(Criterion Streaming, February 2021) I’m clearly in no position to properly appreciate films such as La double vie de Véronique: it’s clearly a film with a distinct sensibility that courts arthouse audiences. The story of two women (both played by Irène Jacob) who barely glimpse each other but share a number of similarities, it’s a film of subtle connections, almost itching to delve into magical realism but not quite willing to do so. It’s not exactly dull, but it doesn’t seem to build to anything in narrative terms. The two halves of the film barely connect in tangible ways, whereas the stories take a back-seat to presentation and mood. You can be charitable and call La double vie de Véronique poetry in film form — I’ll fall back on platitudes along the lines of “it’s a good thing that cinema has something for everyone” and call it a day.