Rating: A
It feels fitting that I’m still not sure what to make of Annette. It was, after all, written and developed by brothers Ron and Russell Mael, the backbone of Sparks, a band so perpetually ahead of the pop curve that it’s hard to ever know what to make of their latest album.
The experience of Annette is much like experiencing anything that Sparks has ever produced. A confounding mix of possible genius free of contemporary context and visionary lack of restraint, it’s a film that dares you to get on its level without caring whether or not you even try. I mean this in the best of ways.
It helps that their bizarre vision of the rock opera is brought to life by director Leos Carax who, as a filmmaker, embodies similar vibes that Sparks brings to their music. Never shying from the experimental, Carax is a director who thrives in absurdity, making this a perfect cinematic match.
Of course, whether or not the world is prepared for a rock opera from Sparks is, perhaps, the most pertinent question that can be asked at this point. But that’s a question that has never bothered the brothers Mael for the entirety of their half century musical career. The world being unprepared for their work has been the driving force of their existence, so why worry about it now?
Like the music of Sparks itself, Annette is enchanting, bold, and beguiling. The Mael Brothers have crafted an old school tragic opera in a way that could only be done in these times, even if it feels confoundingly ahead of anything else. While no doubt many audiences will be left behind by the film, those who can resonate at a similar frequency will find much to adore about this beautifully bizarre cinematic experience.
The film follows the tragic romance of edgy standup comic Henry McHenry (Adam Driver) and his wife, famed soprano Ann Defrasnoux (Marion Cotillard). Theirs is a cosmic love fueled as much by the absurdity of their mismatch as it is by passion. When the strains of their public relationship eventually leads to tragedy, it is discovered that their young daughter, Annette (largely portrayed by a marionette) has a gift for singing, Henry is forced to choose between a life of relative exile or a life exploiting his young daughter.
Annette is a strange film that skewers everything about modern celebrity culture, from fame worship to entertainment news to the selfish exploitation of children. Frame as a classic tragic opera, the Maels are able to present a hauntingly absurd vision of Hollywood that pulls no punches in its deconstruction. The brothers and Carax have crafted something truly original, a fact that’s undeniable even if you can’t get fully on board.
Driver and Cotillard are mesmerizing in their roles as the ill-fated lovers. They both seem to fully understand not just their roles but the place they hold in the operatic canon. Ann and Henry are typical characters found in the tragic opera, and the journey they take, while appropriate for our times, is one that has been taken countless times in the history of the form.
While Annette is a hard nut to crack, its rewards are plenty for those willing to make the effort. Certainly, it’s not a movie for all audiences, but it never really tries to be. Backed by some typically astounding composition from Sparks, Annette continues a banner year for the Sparks renaissance that, alongside the Edgar Wright documentary, The Sparks Brothers, once again shows just how talented and ahead of the curve these musical brothers remain.
Annette is now playing in theaters and premieres on Amazon Prime on August 20.