Water Drops on Burning Rocks (Gouttes d'eau Sur Pierres Brulantes) (NR) No Rating

Passion and kindness fail to coexist in this perverse French-language comedy, adapted from an early stage play by Rainer Werner Fassbinder.

Story

Set in 1970s Germany, Leopold, a 50-something businessman, picks up and brings home 19-year-old Franz, who is on his way to meet his fiancée. After a speedy, sweet seduction, they set up house and become as comfortable as old, bickering shoes. Perservering Franz plays an apron-sporting housewife to surly, petulant Leopold. But after Anna, Franz's ex-fiancée, shows up and wins him back, Franz adopts the same short temper towards Anna that Leopold showed to him. When Leopold comes home and Vera, his transsexual ex-lover, arrives on the scene, cruelty, sex, spontaneous line dancing and tragedy all ensue.

Acting

Bernard Giraudeau gives a provocative performance as the self-assured, seductive Leopold, who becomes cruel when the first blush of infatuation fades. Carrot-top Malik Zidi is appealing as smitten boy-toy Franz, who is bewildered by the abuse. Seemingly young and innocent, Ludivine Sagnier's sweet Anna sets out to steal back Franz with tender determination, but ends up becoming a ravenous sex kitten under Leopold's thumb. As the tragic transsexual Vera, Anna Levine gives the film's only truly sympathetic performance. She alone introduces a sad humanity to this ironic, flip film.

Direction

Francois Ozon brings a deadpan, so-subtle-it's-nearly-nonexistent humor to this unstaged play that was written by a then-19-year-old Fassbinder. The film, which won The Berlin International Film Festival's Teddy Award for Best Feature, keeps emotional insensitivity as commonplace and a source of humor. An odd fish of a film, Ozon has concocted a sullen meditation on sexual domination that turns into a quirky sex farce and, finally, a half-hearted tragedy.

Bottom Line

Though water dropped on burning rocks usually produces steam, this film merely produces a vague indifference.

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Starring Bernard Giraudeau, Malik Zidi, Ludivine Sagnier and Anna Thomson.

Directed by Francois Ozon. Produced by Marc Missionier and Kenzo Horikoshi. Screenplay adapted by Francois Ozon. Released by Zeitgeist Films.