La Passion de Dodin Bouffant (2023)

 

I know that this film has been considered "overrated" by many, especially since it was inexplicably selected to represent France at the 96th Oscars instead of "Anatomie d'une chute", which is among if not the best wide-released cinematic works of the Western world in 2023. To me "Anatomie d'une chute" is indeed better-rounded and more memorable, but "La passion de Dodin Bouffant" has its own merit. Of course, just like numerous other films by Trần Anh Hùng, the performance in this film is not really the focal point, neither its strong aspect (despite the absence of Trần Nữ Yên Khê - Trần Anh Hùng's eternal muse [he did dedicate this film to his wife] but, again, in my opinion only, not really an outstanding actress), but the humanist interactions between the characters are extremely effective and moved me a lot, a lot. I love the fact that this film does not only appear peaceful and cozy, but is indeed a peaceful and cozy film, where everyone is kind and good to each other without any hint of bitterness, jealousy, or pessimism. Watching this film thus really warmed my heart seeing how people of different tastes, different social standings, different ages, and even different world view could be so caring, so subtle, so dedicated to the ones they love and the one they care about - the same way a visionary "gourmand" like Dodin and an outstanding chef/cuisinière like Eugénie take care of their food. Naturally this is a film about food, and about how passion and dedication transform a simple dish into a unforgettable dish, and a good dish into a "tear-jerking" dish. But this is also a film about camaraderie, about soulmates, about the many aspects of interactions and harmony between two hearts that share the same beating frequency in Dodin and Eugénie that are way more than thus "love" and professional harmony. I especially love the very final scene of this film, where Dodin affirmed to Eugénie that she's not his "femme" (his wife, or simply his "woman") but rather his "cuisinière" - a role encompassing BOTH aspects of Dodin's life - his private one, and his "professional" one, and also a role of more equal footing with Dodin in all aspects. Talking about language, I really, really like the French Trần Anh Hùng used for this film's script, as it makes the film so much better, so much more moving, so much more emotional and thus memorable from beginning to end (an important point since the film's pacing is rather slow while the length is not really encouraging for those who prefer shorter and more entertaining films). On this note, I find it pretty funny that Dodin and Eugénie agreed that Dodin is anyone but a poet, but by the end, Dodin's thought and lines just become more and more poetic and romantic like a true poet. Just like the other works of Trần Anh Hùng, this film also has magnificent lighting and scene composition (both indoor and outdoor) to the point that you can cut any single random frame in this film and it would instantly look like a painting with no need for forcing the director's view on to the audience. Sure, this film might be a little bit slow, a little bit long, a little bit dry to some, but once you pay it some attention, you will quickly become emotional observing such a beautiful relationship between Dodin and Eugénie. Such a wonderful film, I would easily give this one a 4.5.