'Bel Ami' review from an early screening

Just a warning, this is obviously a review from an early test screening and as always, critics aren't usually nice about Rob or his movies. A review is a personal opinion and as Maria, from RPAU mentioned: "this is typically similar to the reviews we read about Remember Me and we all know what we thought of those once we had seen Rob’s performance."

This is me disagreeing with Craig

Review from Craig Rook at Director's Note

So I have an exclusive…OK well unless you were there too?!

I went to see Bel Ami at a test screening the other night in the darkened streets of Soho…OK, a swanky (yes I use that word, problem!?) hotel’s screening room.

Ok so what did I think?

Well the 20something Pattison does fit the bill of the man George Duroy who women succumb too but in the end the character, much like the acting, is rather shallow, which of course author Guy de Maupassant knows, but the directors Declan Donnellan & Nick Ormerod fail to. The love interests are all superbly acted, as you would expect from such a trio, which also includes Kristin Scott Thomas. Colm Meaney is aptly aloof, superior and disdainful as Rousset and Philip Glenister puts in a memorable performance as Charles Forestier.

The subplot of the film, which is only touched upon in a few scenes, nods towards France’s impeding invasion of Morocco, which supposedly adds depth to the story and its characters. One problem I felt was that the balance of Bel Ami is wrong, in so much as the chance encounter with Charles happens so fast that you’re not given the opportunity to empathise with George.

The film runs like a class based Desperate Housewives yet is engrossing enough to follow but not to linger in your mind, unless you’ve been glamoured by Mr. P…yes yes he wont easily move away from the vamp tag yet. I do tip my hat to him for making an interesting choice albeit in a role I wished the producers had cast with a better actor, which would have made for a better review.

Maybe they were glamoured too – ‘leave it now mister!’

Finally – please remember this is a very early test screening and there will be changes made – I assume.

FYI: The name Bel Ami, which the daughter of his lover Clotilde bestows upon George, translates as ‘dear friend’ but is more akin to ‘lover’ especially in literature, so I’m informed.