Coup de Chance [2023]

 Woody Allen, who’s long pared down his craft to a stupefying obsession that’s quite rare in the history of this medium, undeterred by even the cancel culture that’s relentlessly hounding him, has reached the phenomenal milestone of 50 films as writer-director with Coup de Chance. His 1^st film that’s wholly made in a non-English language is an enchanting revisit of two themes that the 88-year-old filmmaker has previously explored – masterfully in Crimes and Misdemeanors and Match Point, and compellingly in Cassandra’s Dream and Irrational Man – albeit made almost in a self-mocking vein, viz. getting away with murder and the arbitrariness of existence. Harbouring the quintessential Woody touch of a jazzy, free-spirited air overlayed on a tightly scripted base, it begins on a captivating note when, while walking along the Parisian streets to the art auction house where she works, the stunning Fanny (Lou de Laâge) runs into Alain (Niels Schneider), an aspiring writer and an old acquaintance carrying a torch for her since long. This chance encounter awakens a repressed freewheeling side in her, and the two begin a passionate love affair. She, however, is married to Jean (Melvil Poupaud), a debonair and super-wealthy man. He, unfortunately, has a shady past, a sinister side and is insanely possessive of his wife. Murder, inevitably, is on the cards. Though far from being among Woody’s best efforts – his finest hour, for us who’ve so deeply loved his works, is indisputably in the past – it was still a delectably wry, self-aware and luminously photographed film. If this turns out to be the swansong for this great artist who’s fast losing his desire to continue, it’s definitely a commendable way to go out.

Director: Woody Allen

Genre: Crime Thriller/Romantic Comedy/Marital Comedy

Language: French

Country: France