Rent Cezanne and I (2016)

More Personal than Artistic in Content - Cezanne and I review by CV

This film shows the contrast in birth circumstances and subsequent careers of the two Frenchmen Cezanne and Zola. There is much about the intensity of the love-hate relationship between the two contemporaries and not so much on their respective artistic developments, however. This means that their respective geniuses are accepted as premises rather than being demonstrated in the narrative. British viewers may find such friendships strangely intense and frustratingly unstable! Beautiful and atmospheric photography.

"I will die painting," says artist. - Cezanne and I review by RhysH

The volatile relationship between Zola and Cézanne captured on film with strong performances from Guillaume Canet and Guillaume Gallienne. They are at their best in an angry exchange on the stairs leading to Zola's study, here the loving relationship between them comes to an end.

The film just about avoids the cliché style of "Are you going to write a novel today Emile?" The dialogue, however, is rather stilted and the trite slang subtitles like "butt out" don't help. Then there was the line, "Can I have your autograph Mr Maupassant?"

It is a beautiful film to watch, the costumes, the landscape, the furniture but the camera flits so quickly from one shot to another that there is no time to take it all in. Similarly with the ideas developed you are in the middle of an argument, a discussion and then jumped back in time, pushed forward again and so much is left in the air. It tries to deliver too much, a slower and tighter focus was needed.