Les Musiciens (The Musicians)/Outsider Pictures
3 stars (out of 4)
Director: Grégory Magne (Perfumes)
Starring: Valérie Donzelli, Mathieu Spinosi, Marie Vialle, Daniel Garlitsky, Emma Ravier and Frédéric Pierrot
Language: French with English subtitles
Available: In theaters August 8
As in music, quality cinema relies more on nuance and wit than sheer volume, and the new dramedy Les Musiciens is an excellent reminder of this.
The charming French film is centered on Astrid (Valérie Donzelli), a wealthy classical music lover determined to fulfill her late father’s dream of staging a string concert with four precious Stradivarius instruments that have never shared a stage. Although the goal is artistically inspiring, she faces significant challenges from the board of the charitable foundation she chairs and – surprisingly – the standout musicians selected to play the show. It is the latter group that writer-director Grégory Magne is particularly enamored with.
By design, Astrid (following her late father’s wishes) has assembled a quartet of classical music superstars, each with the talent and ego their status demands. Since quartets create together rather than bending to the will of a conductor, and since they all have strong artistic visions, there is tension from the first rehearsal.
The concertmaster, George (Mathieu Spinosi), is an astonishing player whose chops are bested only by his arrogance. Adding to the tension is Lise (Marie Vialle), a no-nonsense cellist who holds a personal grudge against the group’s second violinist, Peter (Daniel Garlitsky). Finally, there is Apolline (Emma Ravier), a violist who lacks the pedigree of her peers but is making waves thanks to passionate playing and a huge social media following.
To Astrid’s dismay, this super group seems more interested in sparring than polishing the piece her father commissioned to reclusive composer Charlie Beaumont (Frédéric Pierrot). Eventually, Charlie is asked to help, but even that process is complicated since he moved on to other compositions long ago.
Although a film about the clashing egos of famous people could easily go south, Magne discovers a balance that makes each player likable, despite displaying a variety of annoying behaviors. In fact, it’s Magne’s delicate balancing act that makes the film such a pleasure. Nobody is right all the time, and even the best of us can be disagreeable. Magne and his cast remind viewers of this, while slowly marching toward the impending concert.
Les Musiciens is a film about show business, the compromises required for work and the complexities of interpersonal relationships. It is, by turns, funny, dramatic and inspiring, and much of this is due to the excellent cast. Magne insisted on casting real musicians for the quartet roles, and it pays off. The rehearsals are immersive because he was able to shoot from a variety of angles while keeping the audience engaged in the music. That said, one needn’t be a musician to enjoy this film. An appreciation for classical music will help, but the character interplay is interesting and universal enough that anyone should be able to find a theme that resonates.
There are moments where the picture drags, but those are forgettable compared with the sequences reinforcing just how messy the road to great art can become. Les Musiciens is a quiet film, the type that is mostly relegated to arthouse theaters or the smallest screening room at the local multiplex, but its understated charm makes it superior to many movies occupying the larger screens.
Author Bio:
Forrest Hartman is the chief film critic for Highbrow Magazine.
For Highbrow Magazine