2006 NEWFEST-Backstage

          The theme of obsession reverberates again in BACKSTAGE,
  a show business drama co-written and directed by Emmanuelle
  Bercot that borrows heavily from her own feature debut CLEMENT
  with nods to the 2004 feature LA RÔLE DE SA VIE and the
  grandmother of the genre, ALL ABOUT EVE.

          This time out, the object is pop sensation Lauren (Emmanuelle
  Seigner), a sort of cross between Deborah Harry and Madonna. The
  singer agrees to appear on a cheesy television show called
  "BACKSTAGE" which films her making a surprise appearance at the
  home of one of her fans, teenager Lucie (Isild Le Besco). Lucie is
  dumbstruck by being so close to her adored idol, on whom she has
  a tremendous crush and her atypical reaction ruins the television
  appearance. She slips a note to the singer, though, and somehow
  becomes convinced they are to be together. So, Lucie hitchhikes to
  Paris and camps out in front of the hotel where Lauren and her
  entourage is staying. Eventually, she manages to worm her way past
  the security guards and into Lauren's life.

          Despite witnessing the rather unpleasant side of the singer's
  personality, Lucie continues her adoration. Eventually, like Eve
  Harrington, she sets out to seduce Lauren's ex-lover Daniel (Samuel
  Benchetrit) -- but not for her own benefit. She has a rather complicated
  agenda, which when revealed leaves her back where she started.

          Seigner is convincing as the songstress and there's a stellar
  supporting turn from Noémi Lvovsky as Lauren's personal assistant
  Juliette. My problem is with Isild Le Besco; I must confess that she
  has never really impressed me. I know she received strong notices
  for her work in À TOUTE DE SUITE (in which the director,
  Emmanuelle Bercort also appeared), but she does nothing for me.
  She tends to be a bit of a blank and doesn't project any sort of
  personality. Her blandness may seem appropriate for the roles in
  which she is cast, but when she is on screen, the movie comes to
  a dead halt. At least, it does for me.

                               Rating:          C

Backstage