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Lemming

A red herring

By PETER KEOUGH | July 19, 2006

2.5 Stars

Combining the generic precision of Claude Chabrol and the perversity of Michael Haneke, Dominik Moll makes some of the creepiest films in Europe. Like his Harry, un ami qui vous veut du bien|With a Friend like Harry, Lemming focuses on the unwanted guest, and how everyday politeness breaks down before the demonic. The title mammal is the first intruder, an objective correlative jamming Alain’s plumbing (though miraculously surviving) and serving as a precursor of the real troublemaker, Alain’s boss’s wife. Played by Charlotte Rampling with exquisite malice and misery, Alice makes dinner special by calling Alain’s spouse (Charlotte Gainsbourg) a whore and tossing wine in her husband’s face. And she’s just getting started. Unfortunately, so is Moll, who at first deftly employs horror movie conventions for Polanski-like atmosphere but then falls back on them to resolve his plot. Lemming proves to be a red herring.

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Topics: Reviews , Michael Haneke, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Claude Chabrol, More

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