Chaos (2001 film)
Encyclopedia
Chaos is a 2001 French film written and directed by Coline Serreau
.
Currently, a remake of this movie in English
, to star Aishwarya Rai
and Meryl Streep
, is planned.
-Algeria
n prostitute, Malika, who seeks to escape from her abusers.
As the film begins, Paul and Hélène, a wealthy Parisian couple, are preparing to go out for the evening. While driving, they see three men chasing a prostitute down the street. She begs them to save her by letting her into the car, but Paul locks the doors and drives away as the three men beat her, leaving her unconscious in the street. He refuses to let Hélène phone an ambulance, afraid of being charged with not helping a person in danger (which is a crime in France).
Hélène cannot forget the incident, and the next day she goes to the hospital, where she finds the prostitute, Noémie, in a coma. Moved, Hélène stops work and leaves her family responsibilities to stay with Noémie throughout her recovery, aiding her as she regains mobility and helping her to communicate since she can't yet speak. When one of the pimps returns to threaten Noémie, Hélène follows him out of the hospital, knocks him unconscious, and leaves him for the police to find.
Meanwhile, Paul and Hélène's son Fabrice, a university student, is cheating on his girlfriend with another girl, who is pregnant. When his girlfriend discovers the truth, she destroys his apartment. He moves into Paul's apartment just as Hélène moves out, and the two girls follow him, much to Paul's chagrin.
When Hélène returns home for a day, one of Noémie's pimps goes to the hospital with a friend and removes Noémie under the pretense that they are relatives taking her for a walk. Noémie, who still cannot speak, is unable to protest. Hélène meets them on the sidewalk and, realizing that Noémie is not safe at the hospital, "kidnaps" her and brings her to Paul's mother's house. Here Noémie recovers her ability to talk, and relates her life story: her name is actually Malika, and she is a French-Algerian immigrant.
As Malika recovers, the two plan Malika's freedom and revenge on her abusers. Hélène's life changes forever as the selfishness of her husband and son becomes apparent.
Coline Serreau
Coline Serreau is a French actress, film director and writer.-Early life and education:She was born in Paris, France.In Paris, Serreau studied literature, music and theatre as well as the circus.-Career:...
.
Currently, a remake of this movie in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, to star Aishwarya Rai
Aishwarya Rai
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is an Indian film actress. She worked as a model before starting her acting career, and ultimately won the Miss World pageant in 1994...
and Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep
Mary Louise "Meryl" Streep is an American actress who has worked in theatre, television and film.Streep made her professional stage debut in 1971's The Playboy of Seville, before her screen debut in the television movie The Deadliest Season in 1977. In that same year, she made her film debut with...
, is planned.
Plot
Contrary to her husband, Hélène devotes herself to help an FrenchFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
-Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
n prostitute, Malika, who seeks to escape from her abusers.
As the film begins, Paul and Hélène, a wealthy Parisian couple, are preparing to go out for the evening. While driving, they see three men chasing a prostitute down the street. She begs them to save her by letting her into the car, but Paul locks the doors and drives away as the three men beat her, leaving her unconscious in the street. He refuses to let Hélène phone an ambulance, afraid of being charged with not helping a person in danger (which is a crime in France).
Hélène cannot forget the incident, and the next day she goes to the hospital, where she finds the prostitute, Noémie, in a coma. Moved, Hélène stops work and leaves her family responsibilities to stay with Noémie throughout her recovery, aiding her as she regains mobility and helping her to communicate since she can't yet speak. When one of the pimps returns to threaten Noémie, Hélène follows him out of the hospital, knocks him unconscious, and leaves him for the police to find.
Meanwhile, Paul and Hélène's son Fabrice, a university student, is cheating on his girlfriend with another girl, who is pregnant. When his girlfriend discovers the truth, she destroys his apartment. He moves into Paul's apartment just as Hélène moves out, and the two girls follow him, much to Paul's chagrin.
When Hélène returns home for a day, one of Noémie's pimps goes to the hospital with a friend and removes Noémie under the pretense that they are relatives taking her for a walk. Noémie, who still cannot speak, is unable to protest. Hélène meets them on the sidewalk and, realizing that Noémie is not safe at the hospital, "kidnaps" her and brings her to Paul's mother's house. Here Noémie recovers her ability to talk, and relates her life story: her name is actually Malika, and she is a French-Algerian immigrant.
As Malika recovers, the two plan Malika's freedom and revenge on her abusers. Hélène's life changes forever as the selfishness of her husband and son becomes apparent.
Cast
- Vincent LindonVincent LindonVincent Lindon is a French actor who has been active for more than 25 years.Lindon was a lover of Princess Caroline of Monaco from 1990 to 1995. He is currently separated from his wife, the French actress Sandrine Kiberlain.-Selected filmography:-External links:...
- Paul - Catherine FrotCatherine Frot-Early life:The daughter of an engineer and a mathematics teacher, Frot demonstrated comic traits and expressions at an early age. At the age of fourteen, she enrolled in the Versailles conservatory while still in school...
- Hélène - Rachida BrakniRachida BrakniRachida Brakni is a French actress of Algerian origin. She is married to the football hero turned film actor Eric Cantona, whom she met on the filmset of Outremangeur in 2002....
- Noémie/Malika - Line RenaudLine Renaud- Early life :Line Renaud was born in Pont-de-Nieppe on 2 July 1928. Her mother Simone was a shorthand typist; her father was a truck driver during the week, but he played trumpet at the weekends, in a local brass band...
- Mamie, Paul's mother - Aurélien WiikAurélien WiikAurélien Wiik is a French actor. He is the son of a Norwegian father and of the French actress Françoise Deldick.-Acting career:...
- Fabrice, son of Hélène and Paul - Ivan FranekIvan FranekIvan Franek , sometimes credited as Ivan Franeck, is a Czech film and television actor; he is also a cinematographer.-Early life and education:He was born in Plzeň, Czechoslovakia....
- Touki - Michel Lagueyrie - Marsat
- Wojciech PszoniakWojciech PszoniakWojciech Pszoniak , is a Polish film and theater actor.Pszoniak gained international visibility following Andrzej Wajda's 1975 film The Promised Land, in which he played Moritz, one of the three main characters....
- Pali (as Wojtek Pszoniak) - Éric Poulain - The young policeman
- Omar-Echériff Attalah - Tarek
- Hajar Nouma - Zora
- Chloé Lambert - Florence
- Marie Denarnaud - Charlotte
- Jean-Marc Stehlé - Blanchet
- Léa DruckerLéa DruckerLéa Drucker is a French actress, born 23 January 1972 in Caen, Normandy.thumb|right|180px| Léa Drucker in 2006She is the niece of the television presenter Michel Drucker, and of the ex-president of the M6 television chain, Jean Drucker. Her father Jacques is a medical doctor, and her mother,...
- Nicole
Awards and honors
- César AwardCésar AwardThe César Award is the national film award of France, first given out in 1975. The nominations are selected by the members of the Académie des arts et techniques du cinéma....
for Most Promising Actress (Rachida Brakni) and nominations for Best Film, Best Writing, Best Actress, and Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Line Renaud) in 2002. - Lumière prize for Most Promising Actress (Rachida Brakni) in 2002.
- People's Choice and Critic's Choice at the Norwegian International Film FestivalNorwegian International Film FestivalThe Norwegian International Film Festival is a film festival held annually in Haugesund, Norway. The festival goes back to 1973.In 1985, the Amanda award was instituted. The Amanda is awarded every year at the festival in different movie categories...
2002.
Reception
Stephen Holden of New York Times found the film's portrayal of men in the film offensive. He described the film as gripping feminist fable with a savage comic edge.Trivia
- Chaos was the third film that Vincent Lindon made under Coline Serreau's direction, after La Crise in 1992 and La Belle Verte in 1996.