TIFF Review: ‘The Mad Women’s Ball’
It’s always tough in a goal-obsessed society to be someone who isn’t really what people want and appreciate, but women and minorities especially have it tough, because there seem to be automatically assigned roles for them. Set in 19th-century France, Mélanie Laurent’s The Mad Women’s Ball shows how a young woman, though belonging to a well-off family, is forced to face the consequences of not fitting into the norms of society. It’s a chilling story about institutional abuse, unexpected bonds and standing up for oneself.
Eugénie Cléry (Lou de Laâge) is a young woman from a wealthy family with an independent mind and a quick tongue. In a tradition reminiscent of Holden Caulfield, the audience knows there is nothing actually wrong with Eugénie, except that she is a typical lady from a wealthy family, and believes in spirits. However, after her family members begin noticing her consistently odd behavior, they start to believe that she is insane, but can’t understand why or what exactly is wrong with her. Alarmed by her demeanor, Eugénie’s family admits her to a neurological clinic overseen by Professor Jean-Martin Charcot (Grégoire Bonnet). Trapped in a place where abuse and condescension are part of the everyday routine, Eugénie struggles to gather her wits until she grows closer to Geneviéve (Mélanie Laurent), a nurse at the institution.
Something about the final act of the film feels a bit disjointed, perhaps due to the pacing, but still proves to be an interesting and fulfilling watch overall. The direction and production values both work together to give it a striking appearance and tone. It is quite sensuous to watch, with such great sets, costumes, and designs. Lou de Laâge’s performance of Eugénie is also one of the most prominent aspects of the film. However, even more fascinating than Eugénie herself was the character of Geneviéve, played by Mélanie Laurent herself. She completely immerses herself in the role, and gives a moving and intriguing performance as Eugénie’s acquaintance at the hospital. Although Lou de Laâge does an excellent job portraying the earnestness and confusion of her character, Laurent is the true star of this movie, as she also serves as the director.
The film may feel like a drama/thriller, considering its primary thematic elements but at the heart of it lies a much more fundamental idea: friendship – what causes it, how it can invigorate us in the worst of times, and its short and long-term effects. With a beautiful poetic grace, the movie states that it’s not the duration of a relationship that matters, but who it is that you befriend, and the place that they earn in your heart while it lasts. Every relationship in our life is short-lived, as we’re continually moving forward in our journey towards a fulfilled existence; time does not stand still, and the film makes a conscious effort to constantly accentuate this point.
With The Mad Women’s Ball, Mélanie Laurent delivers an intriguing yet sensitive portrayal of women enmeshed in a medical system that both misunderstands and fears them. Although it may not be her best film, it certainly ends up as the most unique one out of her filmography and therefore a testament to her versatility as a director and an actress. – Nabeel Zaman
Montana Story premiered at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2021.