Gilles Mimouni’s directorial debut, The Apartment, is a dazzlingly stylish film that plunges into a whirlpool of romantic entanglements. This French drama is a masterclass in intricate storytelling, blending vibrant performances with a web of unexpected twists. Although its implausibilities might challenge French audiences, Mimouni has crafted a film that could well become a sleeper hit and potential candidate for remakes. Regardless of its theatrical success, the film is poised for a lasting presence on television, positioning Mimouni as a noteworthy talent.

The Apartment diverges sharply from Billy Wilder’s classic of the same name, reimagining it as a tale of Parisians entangled in passionate and often excessive love. The film’s script cleverly uses minute details—a compact, a café mirror, and high-heeled shoes—as crucial plot devices.

The narrative unfolds in a spiral, alternating between a mysterious present and a revealing past as characters move toward climactic moments. Max (Vincent Cassel), a former hipster turned corporate worker, plans to abandon his timid fiancée (Sandrine Kiberlain) for a business trip to Tokyo. However, after overhearing a heated argument from his former lover, Lisa (Monica Bellucci), Max decides to stay in Paris to find her. He teams up with his friend Lucien, a shoemaker, to track her down.

Max locates Lisa’s art deco apartment but discovers it is occupied by a woman claiming to be Lisa. This new Lisa, actually Alice, is a former bohemian from Montmartre who secretly harbors feelings for Max. Alice, a skilled deceiver, had orchestrated the disappearance of the real Lisa years earlier. Complicating matters further, Lucien, Max’s close friend, is romantically involved with Alice, while the real Lisa is in hiding from her abusive ex-boyfriend and has lent her apartment to Alice, her close friend.

The film’s plot thickens with layers of complexity while avoiding excessive convolution. As the story reaches its resolution, viewers might find Mimouni’s emphasis on structural symmetry over emotional resolution somewhat unsatisfying.

Cassel, known for his role in Hate, delivers a multifaceted performance as Max, shifting between vigor and vulnerability. Romane Bohringer excels as the troubled Alice, and while Bellucci’s role is less demanding, her performance is commendable. The portrayal of lifelong friends by Ecoffey and Cassel is enriched by their on-screen chemistry.

Thierry Arbogast’s cinematography enchants with its portrayal of Paris as a city of rooftop escapes and quaint cafés. Mimouni’s direction, complemented by Peter Chase’s evocative score, enhances the film’s romantic atmosphere.

The Apartment

French

Production: An IMA Films/UGC Images/La Sept Cinema/M6 Films/Mate Prods/Cecchi Gori Group production released by AFMD in France. (International sales: UGC, Paris.) Produced by Elisabeth Devoisse. Executive producer, Georges Benayoun. Directed and written by Gilles Mimouni.

Crew: Camera (color), Eric Devulder; editor, Francoise Bonnot, Caroline Biggerstaff; music, Laurence Heller; production design, Peter Chase; costume design, Philippe Chiffre; sound (Dolby Digital), Thierry Arbogast; assistant directors, Sylvie Zade-Routier, Luc Riff, Bernard Pujolar. Reviewed at UGC screening room, Paris, Sept. 5, 1996. (At San Sebastian Festival — competing.) Running time: 116 minutes.

Cast:

• Alice – Sandrine Kiberlain
• Lucien – Olivier Granier
• Lisa – Paul Pavel
• Muriel – Romane Bohringer

Additional cast:

• Monica Bellucci
• Jean-Philippe Ecoffey