‘Paul & Paulette Take A Bath’: Venice Review

Dir/scr: Jethro Massey. UK. 2024. 109mins

As hinted at by its title, Paul & Paulette Take A Tub is a playful love story wherein its protagonists forge an intimate relationship that will not final. The primary function from British-French author/director Jethro Massey takes place in Paris, the place an American photographer meets an area girl with a fascination for visiting websites the place notable murders or atrocities occurred. However quite than being distractingly whimsical, Paul & Paulette makes use of that morbid premise as a springboard to look at the impermanence of every part — even an infatuation between two individuals who appear destined for each other.

Encapsulates the euphoria of recent love

The movie premieres in Venice’s Critics’ Week and supportive opinions ought to assist carry the profole of this delicate romance. Twentysomething arthouse viewers could also be Paul & Paulette’s core viewers, with good phrase of mouth wanted to assist compensate for an absence of marketable stars. 

American Paul (Jeremie Galiana) moved to France to pursue images, however is slowly dropping his ardour as a consequence of lack of constructive response to his work. At some point in Paris, he encounters Paulette (Marie Benati), who’s visiting the precise location the place Marie Antoinette was beheaded — and shortly recruits Paul to assist her recreate the queen’s closing moments. Their flirty rapport results in a friendship, as Paul discovers that she enjoys frequenting notorious locales to expertise their historical past firsthand. He shortly falls for Paulette, however she insists they continue to be platonic, issuing him two guidelines: he can not ask her about her household, and so they can not contact. Sooner or later, each stipulations will probably be damaged because the pair discover a profound connection. 

Massey (whose current shorts embrace the 2020 romantic comedy By no means Apply Salt To Entice A Potential Lover) simply encapsulates the euphoria of recent love, however he’s additionally clever concerning the obstacles that imperil any burgeoning relationship. Paul should keep away from the advances of Valerie (Laurence Vaissiere), a former flame who’s his new boss at his soul-sucking company job, whereas Paulette has cycled via a collection of lovers — women and men — however has been in a long-term, off-and-on affair with Margarita (Margot Joseph). As a lot as Paulette insists to Paul that she doesn’t need them to get entangled, their chemistry is so palpable that it’s inevitable that they’ll begin hooking up. The one query is that if it’s going to lead wherever.

Galiana has the trickier task of the 2 leads, taking part in Paul as a reserved younger man who doesn’t have the connection expertise of the extra outgoing, assured Paulette. Paul is smitten however he’s a bit insecure and barely threatened by her sexual historical past. This requires Galiana to strike a steadiness, not wanting the character to be too needy and ineffectual whereas portraying somebody who will probably be getting an actual training from this girl. By comparability, Benati shines as an adventurous soul who’s drawn to Paul’s decency however stays at a slight take away. Despite the fact that Paulette is extra vivacious than Paul, the actress attracts out the character’s vulnerability and melancholy in order that Paulette’s later revelations about her previous have important dramatic weight.

Paul & Paulette doesn’t at all times efficiently navigate the potential queasiness of Paulette’s odd obsession with visiting these macabre websites, with Massey leaving room for darkish comedy. When the lovebirds hire a flat occupied many years in the past by Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun, they resolve to do some kinky role-playing — with Paul volunteering to be Eva — however the movie solely superficially investigates what drives Paulette to see these locations. Because of this, the screenplay’s seemingly most provocative factor is, truly, amongst its least fascinating.