Rent Diva (1981)

Youthful artistic noir thriller from Paris, 1981 - Diva review by CP Customer

Sophisticated Parisian thriller. Released in 1981, Diva retains much of its freshness today. There's a bold originality to the design of this film, particularly with the stylish interiors of the warehouse apartments of two of the principals here. I liked the naivete and pretentious cool of the young protagonist. As thrillers go, the plot is probably not high on originality. It draws from the sketchbook set by seventies American detective-gangster noirs. A subway chase scene here is well executed but rather blatantly lifted from The French Connection. There are flaws. The film is too long and the convolutions of the plot lost me towards the end (not unusual). Diva takes its title from an operatic diva whose singing is wonderful but this seems a little superfluous to the plot. Paris looks beautiful in a film that really captures the feel of the city and milieu. It's a well filmed piece with some beautiful scenes. The acting stands up. Diva has enough charm and energy to make it of interest for the contemporary viewer.

Looks to Kill, but Not Much to Die For - Diva review by griggs

I was eager to finally watch this cult classic, though it’s hard to ignore how its once-radiant glow has dimmed. Diva is obsessed with looking cool–in that regard, it absolutely succeeds. Every frame is stylish and meticulously composed. But beyond that, there’s not much to hold onto. Alex Cox was right to call it an ‘Art Director’s film’–the aesthetic is everything, while the story is an afterthought. The plot is wafer-thin, following a hapless courier who stumbles into a criminal conspiracy, though it does deliver one excellent chase sequence through Paris at night. And, of course, I’ll never forget the right way to butter a baguette now. It’s easy to see how Diva influenced Luc Besson and Leos Carax with its Cinéma du Look styling, but in the end, it’s more of a mood piece than a genuinely gripping film.

Surface Tension - Diva review by Steve

Maybe it's absurd to reflect on the cinéma du look in terms of its masterpiece; but this is at least quintessential. Many films conceived as an exercise in style now look/sound dated, especially those released in the 1980s. Yet this avoids that fate; its combination of modern, classical and distressed-industrial is fabulous.

And the aural mix of opera, rock atmosphere and ersatz Erik Satie is still chic. In his feature debut, Jean-Jacques Beineix isn't reluctant to show us around the set design, which makes the thriller plot (adapted from a novel) overextended. But the narrative isn't the main reason to watch, and the suspense just about holds.

The McGuffin is the mixup of two audio cassettes in the possession of a cool/cute postal worker (Frédéric Andréi) who zips around Paris on his moped- including in the Metro- while he's pursued by the mob and a pair of music moguls who want to release his hi-tec bootleg recording of a black-American opera singer...

The cast is chosen on appearances and no one gives much of a performance; Wilhelmenia Fernandez as the diva makes the film possible, but isn't an actor. Though Dominique Pinon grew a career from his role as an impassive psycho-baddie. This is arthouse-Hitchcock wrapped in the dream of a loft living lifestyle.