The Untouchable (2006)

Bombarding the Senses

"The Untouchable"

Bombarding the Senses

Amos Lassen

"The Untouchable", the new film by Benoit Jacquot, is punishment for the senses. It gives the audience painful visuals and audios and the hand-held came plays with the eyeballs. The film is jumpy and everything happens so quickly that is hard to stay relaxed while watching it. The soundtrack is much the same, with harsh music that is too loud and the instruments that are used are not pleasant to hear. According to what I have read, there is a reason for this. It is to come close to a journey of self discovery which include coming to terms with suffering and danger. We know that pilgrims to shrines often approached them on their knees and Jeanne, Jacquot's pilgrim has never felt that was at home in society or in her own skin. She was raised by a single mother and learned, at age 18, that her father was an Indian. She then takes a journey to go to see him and find her roots.
Islid le Besco is Jeanne and gives an illuminating performance. We sense her rage and we feel her loneliness and we never feel at ease watching her. She sits on the edge between violation and victimization. She is the director's muse as well but for some reason this film is too small to contain her. She wanders off of the screen and takes the film with her.
Although parts of the film are beautiful to watch, the script gets lost in what appears to be a disjointed travelogue. The fact that Jeanne had to humiliate herself b playing in a cheap filmed sex scene adds nothing to the film and what he get is an empty movie. The film uses a fake intellectualism and the plot is weak and I felt like I was watching a series of clichés.
May 4, 2008

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