Released 1996
Stars Maggie Cheung, Jean-Pierre Léaud, Nathalie Richard, Antoine Basler, Nathalie Boutefeu
Directed by Olivier Assayas

"Irma Vep," Olivier Assayas' incisive and entertaining 1996 feature, takes an offbeat look at the current state of French cinema. Assayas turns the camera on the behind-the-scenes process, and the results are both comic and revealing. In a picture that has a lot to say about the film making process and the people who engage in it, Assayas has not restricted his commentary to the French movie industry -- he has words for the American and Hong Kong brands, as well.

"Irma Vep" works extraordinarily well on two levels. It explores the movie-making process, and, in doing so, exposes the fakery and hypocrisy that often emerges in the self-serving, so-called "intellectual cinema." What really makes this project work, however, is its ability to create a believable group of characters. Assayas uses the tricks of cinema verite -- handheld shots and long takes -- to good effect, as we immediately become involved in the lives of these people. Maggie is our often-bewildered but always good-humored guide through this strange land, and we become attached to her almost from the beginning. The other characters grow on us as Assayas lets us peek into their lives, hearing their private conversations and learning their secret desires.

The crowning sequence of the film has Maggie, in costume, slinking through the corridors of her hotel, intent upon a theft (although it's difficult for her to be stealthy when her costume makes a squishing sound every time she moves). She sneaks into a room, watches from the shadows as a naked woman argues over the phone with her boyfriend, then takes a necklace. Moments later, she's on the roof, in the pouring rain, bathed in a soft, yellow light. It's a magical moment.

Are French films stuffy? At times, yes, and that's one of many reasons why even the most "accessible" French movies are relegated to art cinemas in this country. "Irma Vep" gleefully defies such facile labeling, however. This is a sly, sexy endeavor that presents its audacious viewpoint with style and intelligence. "Irma Vep" features some wonderful performances, that, in concert with its sure direction and smart script, make for a wholly satisfying motion picture.

Summary by James Berardinelli