# Fille sur le pont, La (1999)

### reviewed by
Steve Rhodes

    THE GIRL ON THE BRIDGE
    A film review by Steve Rhodes
    Copyright 2000 Steve Rhodes
    RATING (0 TO ****):  ** 1/2

So you're looking for an erotic knife-throwing movie? I thought so.

But, had you considered one about a knife thrower who is willing to do it blind in order to pump up the crowd? If so, then Patrice Leconte's THE GIRL ON THE BRIDGE (LA FILLE SUR LE PONT) is just the picture for you.

Chief among its delights are Serge Frydman's sharp and witty script and the sexually charged performance by Vanessa Paradis as the film's eponymous lead, Adele. With pixyish good looks and large gaps between her teeth, Paradis appears less like a movie star than every man's wish for his girl next door.

Shot in an oversaturated black and white that manages to obscure the subtitles of some of the best sections of dialog, the movie is a fairy tale for adults. The depressed damsel in distress is about to jump off of a bridge until she is rescued by a mysterious stranger, Gabor (Daniel Auteuil).

Adele explains that she is like flypaper in that she picks up all of the crud. She is also a highly sexed 21-year-old, who tells about her love life in an extremely long opening monologue. Watching nothing but a large talking head for the first 10 minutes of a story will try most viewers' patience.

Gabor, it turns out, spends his time hanging out on bridges and rooftops in order to recruit women. No, he is not a pimp. He is a middle-age knife thrower. "Past the age of 40, knife throwing becomes sporadic," he explains to Adele, hence he tries to find women to work with him who have nothing to lose. And being on the verge of suicide is certainly proof of a lack of belief in the future.

Adele admits that she has a weak right eye, which Gabor sees as an attribute. "Eyes don't matter," he tells her. "See less. Fear less."

What she does see is men, all except Gabor that is. "Boys attract me like beautiful clothes," she confesses. "I always want to try them on." Since her first gig is at a circus, this presents a wonderful opportunity to try out sex with none other than a professional contortionist.

The movie is never better than when she's strapped to the board, withering in ecstasy and moaning with every knife strike. As magical, exotic and erotic as these scenes are, they are too few and far between. The movie begins to end fairly predictably and then has the bad sense of timing not to stop but to keep going for yet another, equally predictable ending. THE GIRL ON THE BRIDGE, which is already a reasonably short film, would be improved dramatically by being much shorter still. Fairy tales work best when they don't overstay their welcome.

THE GIRL ON THE BRIDGE runs 1:32. It is in French with English subtitles. It is rated R for some sexuality and would be acceptable for most teenagers.

Email: Steve.Rhodes@InternetReviews.com Web: http://www.InternetReviews.com

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