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Audience Member I confess one of the main reason I sought this film out back in 2011 before it was even actually "released" in the US was due to the fact that Cult Legend, John Waters so praised it. One must understand that much of what John Waters likes about this film is exactly why many will hate it. I ended up quite liking to loving this movie, but not for anywhere near the same reason Waters praised it. The aspect of Patric Chiha's DOMAIN is that appeals to me is the disarming level of tension created as the movie quite literally takes the audience on a series of walks. The pace is often slow. But through what can best be described as an inappropriate, yet somehow repressed relationship between a gay nephew and his odd aunt, some overtly styled cinematography and a unsettling-about-to-be-unhinged performance by the consistently odd Béatrice Dalle -- this movie takes on a tone not too far off from the magic of Chabrol or Hitchcock. While my comparison is almost insulting to the brilliance of both iconic filmmakers -- it does ring true. Béatrice Dalle sensuously slips and slides her way through mathematical obsessions and somehow perverse pleasures, her nephew and becomes caught up in what he perceives to be intelligent and glamorous flamboyancy --- the viewer is all too aware that this odd woman is capable of harm. Harm that could come at any moment. Béatrice Dalle's once unique beauty has over the years taken on a truly unsettling charisma. It hard to not get lost in her face and movements. Much like the lead actress' performance and presence -- Chiha's movie walks, stumbles and titters its way to a conclusion that, depending on the viewer's sensibilities, can be correctly interpreted as either benignly abrupt or alarmingly horrific. This odd art house French film is flawed but totally unique. I am unable to actually defend my high rating of 4 stars other than it has held sway with me ever since I first saw it. I often come back to it and it my admiration for it has continued to grow. Either way, I'd be surprised for anyone to find it boring. And, I'd be even more surprised if someone found anything about it familiar. Domain occupies its own quirky place. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Audience Member DOMAINE will truly blow you away. Helmed by first time director Patric Diha, DOMAINE beautifully straddles the precipice across French sex film, pretentious Euro Trash, and dark crazy psychological meditation, never steering into any of these directions but instead blending them all beautifully. Full of wonderful surprises at every turn, DOMAINE, includes one of the best scenes ever shot in a dance club. The scene is like Iggy Pop meets Rembrandt meets Electronica. A haunting and amazing moment that is key to the film not just a tour de force. And then at the center of the film is the force of nature herself, Beatrice Dalle, who once again proves she is one of the marvels of contemporary cinema. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review Audience Member Beatrice Dalle owns the screen, but this just wasn't as good as it should be. The pacing is frustrating. And I find it endlessly aggravating that Patric Chiha has no problem with using text for "One Month Later" and "One Week Later" yet when later in the movie two weeks pass, there is nothing. It's inconsistent, which wouldn't bother me if it didn't feel like it was trying to be otherwise. Isaïe Sultan is also great in this, but his character was so poorly developed. The film starts strong and has two or three great moments. The club scene is one of the greatest things I've ever seen captured on film. If only the rest of the movie was as brilliant. By the last act, it's just exhausted everything it has and Dalle gets a brief moment to be amazing, and then it's over. It's also impossible to watch this and not think about Paprika Steen in Applaus. Similar themes, somewhat similar performances, and both women completely own the screen. Applaus gets it right, though, and manages to be a good movie with a great performance. Domaine isn't bad, it's just frustrating, especially when Dalle is so so so good. Amazing soundtrack by Milkymee. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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