REVIEW / FILM OPINION – In “Marcello Mio”, Christophe Honoré brilliantly invites the viewer to a turbulent moment in the life of Chiara Mastroianni, daughter of Marcello Mastroianni.
“It’s Marcello and it’s not Marcello”
“ Everything good in life is inheritance » says actor Fabrice Luchini to Chiara Mastroianni when he discovers her disguised as her father Marcello, supposedly quoting Nietzsche. Because so-called, pretense, trompe l’oeil, skillful imposture and dizzying mask je(u) pose with delicacy and elegance in Marcello Miothe latest feature film by Christophe Honoré, wildly original, and in the official selection of the Competition of the 77th Cannes Film Festival.
The director therefore follows Chiara alongside her loved ones and her professional meetings. Between a mirror shoot imitating Anita Ekberg in The good life and a casting complicated by the advice of her mother Catherine Deneuve, Chiara can’t take it anymore and rebels. Daughter of two sacred cinema monsters, constantly referred to their talent, Chiara feels lost and doubts.
Who is she really? What does director Nicole Garcia expect of her, who understands that “it’s not easy”? Paternal gentleness or maternal energy? Is she desired as an actress or just because she is a “daughter of”? Because Marcello Miowritten by the only director very inspired by the existence of Chiara, questions with subtlety, humility and depth this heritage that is as heavy to bear as it is extraordinary.
An outstanding father and peerless actress
Fatigue, disappointment, grief and lack of a father have a catalytic effect. It is her father’s face that she sees one day appearing as herself in the mirror. Is it a dream, a hallucination, a memory, a sign, a Russian doll-style filming? From then on, she lets herself be confused with the ghost/fantasy of her father. She wears her hair and dresses like Marcello, speaks Italian like Marcello, smokes and moves like Marcello.
The girl’s resemblance to her father is striking and Marcello Mio shows everyone’s reactions, offering a nice range of emotions. Bluffed, disturbed, moved or shocked, they especially like Chiara and Marcello with sincere love and very touching. Without being a musical, the characters also tell their stories in songs to an exciting soundtrack by Alex Beaupain.
Catherine Deneuve welcomes her daughter’s fantasy with kindness. She understands the necessity of this journey through memories, even if some revived prove painful. The director has fun with former lovers Melvil Poupaud and Benjamin Biolay, with opposing postures linked to their roots. The first met her when she was just out of adolescence and the second married her and had a daughter with her.
Fabrice Luchini, for his part, is an unlikely ally, he who admired the actor so much and would have wanted him as a friend. As for Chiara’s meeting with Colin (Hugh Skinner), a stranger who knows nothing about her, it turns out to be much less interesting than the director’s own intention. No doubt because it is already enough jubilant to evolve in the lives of Chiara’s loved ones.
A perfect illusion
Marcello Mio goes very far in the reflection of his point. Indeed, how long can Chiaretta be drowned in her father’s life? What are his limits so as not to twist and identify that the happiness of being Marcello can also bring sorrow? Will she be able to sufficiently regain her self-confidence and consider taking her place again?
Christophe Honoré is certainly not the first to tell the story behind the scenes of cinema and to mix reality and fiction about the actors. Spike Jonze (In the shoes of John Malkovich), Michel Blanc (Tiredness), Bertrand Blier (Players) or more recently Quentin Dupieux (The Second Actopening the Cannes Film Festival).
But Marcello Mio has more authenticity, more joy, more heart. Because the film is above all a wonderful tribute to Marcello Mastroianni. Initiatory tale proving that it is never too late to learn from and about yourself, Marcello Mio is therefore revealed a little cinema gem. A warm film about transmission, which goes beyond oneself.
Marcello Mio by Christophe Honoré, in theaters on May 22, 2024. The film is in Official Competition at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. Above is the trailer. Find all our trailers here.
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