The Woman in the Fifth

Douglas Kennedy's perplexing novel THE WOMAN IN THE FIFTH has been further contorted by writer/director Pawel Pawlikowski for the film of the same name (aka La femme du Vème). If the viewer has read the novel then the confusion of the story will not be as surprising as it is to the novice viewer. In many ways this is a brilliant cinematic exploration of the fragility of the human mind, how events of the past can influence the manner in which we attempt to reconstruct a viable present. But in other ways this is a film that refuses to tell a story that is logical and will leave many viewers with some serious head scratching by movie's end.

Academic professor of literature and writer Tom Hicks (Ethan Hawke) seems to be fleeing America in the wake of a scandal simply because he wants to see his six-year-old daughter Chloé (Julie Papillon): Tom's estranged wife Nathalie (Delphine Chuillot) refuses to let Tom see his daughter, has a restraining order in place and seems fearful of Tom's character (it is suggested that Tom may have been in prison for the past six years). The police are called and Tom escapes onto a bus, falls asleep and s awakened at the end of the line having been robbed of this luggage and money. He is in the sleazy part of Paris inhabited by North Africans and Moroccans and finds a degree of solace in a tiny café, the beautiful Polish waitress Ania (Joanna Kulig) offers him coffee and introduces him to the owner, Sezer (Samir Guesmi) who allows him to room in the filthy place, an offer that is accompanied by a `job' where he will be a night watchman in a warehouse visited by shadowy figures who must give a code for Tom to allow entry. Tom uses his night jobsite to write lengthy letters to Chloé and spends his days spying on her at her school. At a bookstore he meets a fellow American who invites him to an evening reception for writers and there he encounters the very strange Margit (Kristin Scott Thomas), a bewitching but enigmatic widow of a Hungarian writer who is obviously attracted to Tom and sets meeting times and places for them to engage in a tryst (in the Fifth Arrondissement). Tom and Margit begin a tempestuous physical affair but at the same time Tom and Ania have an equally passionate affair and there is always in the background Tom's obsession to reunite with his daughter. But the story implodes with a murder, a disappearance, and a very strange change in the veracity of Margit's existence. It is at this point that the film becomes purposefully deranged and bizarre and the audience is left with merely some ideas and clues as to what has really happened. How are these incongruous events to make sense? Can they make sense? Is Tom succumbing to the same fever that kept him sheltered for many days upon his arrival in beautiful Paris? Has time somehow passed him by or is he living in an even grander deceit than he first thought?

The film is basically in French with English subtitles. Ethan Hawke struggle with the French but that is credible for a `just arrived' American. Kristin Scott Thomas offers her usual excellent skills as the strange Margit and the remainder of the cast do well with what little dialogue they are given. The dank atmospheric cinematography is by Ryszard Lenczewski and the correctly strange musical score (from an aria form a Handel opera sung by a countertenor to piano music excerpts form the Romantic era) is the work of Max de Wardener. Pawel Pawlikowski`s moody, menacing, downbeat film takes something from the director's Polish compatriots Polanski and Kieslowski. It is offbeat but for those who appreciate experimental cinema this is well worth your time. Grady Harp, June 12

Tom Ricks (Ethan Hawke) is an American novelist who goes to Paris in hopes of patching up his relationship with his ex-wife (Delphine Chuillot) and daughter (Julie Papillon). She wants nothing to do with him because of some event in their past, which is not fully explained. Through a series of bad luck he ends up working for a man named Sezer (Samir Guesmi) as a night time doorman, a job steeped with symbolism as he works on his second novel.

Meanwhile, Tom meets a mysterious older woman (Kristin Scott Thomas) who has taken a shine to him. She is the "Woman in the Fifth." He begins an affair with her about the same time he takes up with Sezer's girlfriend, his "Polish muse" (Joanna Kulig). We don't know how weird things really are until near the end of the tale.

If I told you I understood everything in this film, I would be lying. There is symbolism in his forest writing, the bugs, and the light which dims and goes bright, none of which I fully understood. Then there is the weird aspect of the movie which turns this into an existential film, something I didn't fully comprehend. I didn't think it was worth watching a second time through in an attempt to make heads or tails out of the film.

This is an artsy film. It is in part in English and French with subtitles, and Polish with no subtitles. The action moves slow as it concentrates on the character of Tom Ricks. I am looking for a good plot spoiler review to tell me what I just watched.

Parental Guide: F-bomb (in French, spelled correctly for us in English), sex, no nudity.

"The Woman in the Fifth" is something of an interesting international hybrid. Set in Paris, this presentation was actually a British and Polish co-production and stars an American actor in the leading role. How's that for diversity? Writer/director Pawel Pawlikowski has assembled an intriguing chamber piece that relies more on mood than on storytelling. There are many different ways to describe the film, but it's hard to discuss the movie in-depth without revealing too much. Branded by a blurb on the DVD cover as a "cool, creepy psychological thriller" by Time magazine, I'm not certain that is how I'd position the film for a mass audience. While the experience surely does create an unsettling vibe, it may be too low-key to be fully embraced as a thriller. At best, I'd call it an atmospheric character study. There is a lot to recommend "The Woman in the Fifth" (including one of Ethan Hawke's most compelling performances), but ultimately it is an experience that connected more with my mind than with my heart. And this lack of emotional investment on my part makes my ultimate recommendation rather tepid.

Hawke plays an American writer in Paris trying to reconnect with his estranged wife and child. The road to redemption and happiness, however, is never easy and Hawke finds himself in a dingy hotel surrounded by a rather unsavory criminal element. As he is drawn into more dire situations, he finds possible solace in the arms of a mysterious stranger (the always welcome Kristin Scott Thomas). As the two grow closer and Hawke attempts to prevent his life from spiraling out of control, you don't initially see how important she will become. It's probably best, for the sake of discretion, to leave the description there. If you have read about the movie at all, it should be apparent that maybe not everything is as it seems. And Pawlikowski paints a pretty bleak portrait. Is Hawke a salvageable character? And what influence does Scott Thomas exert over him? Can he rebuild his life or will it continue to slide downward?

I think it's fair to say that not all of the answers will be provided. The movie can probably be interpreted in different ways by different viewers. And while I enjoyed the enigmatic nature of the screenplay, it was more of a intellectual experiment that a visceral experience. Sometimes that works for a picture. But after creating a fully realized leading character, I just really wanted to be more emotionally connected to his journey. It's not Hawke's fault. In fact. I think this may be one of his stronger roles. Teetering at the brink of madness and desperation, his unpredictability is one of the story's most fascinating aspects. Ultimately, I admired much of "The Woman in the Fifth" while I was watching it. That said, it is also not a movie that I'll revisit very often if ever. Well made, but not very fulfilling (for me), I'd definitely check this out if you are a Hawke fan. Otherwise, don't let the thriller description throw you. This is a contemplative character study for patient audiences. About 3 1/2 stars. KGHarris, 9/12.