Chloe

I was at a dinner party last evening and one of the guests (and a friend whose opinion I value) cautioned me against this film. He thought it was pornographic and totally distasteful. Sorry old friend but you whetted my curiosity and I had to see it.

Atom Egoyan is a director of arty and very creative films. They are never the norm. I try to see everything that he directs. Usually his beautiful wife, Arsinee appears in his films. Instead he has chosen a star cast with Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson and the gorgeous Amanda Seyfried.

The film takes place in Toronto and I loved seeing so many recognizable spots. The cinematography is excellent and I thought that the music was so appropriate for the film. All the actors performed well.

Julianne Moore plays the part of Catherine Stewart, a gynecologist. I wonder if even her profession is symbolic. Dr Stewart fears her husband is cheating. She had planned a surprise party for his birthday but he fails to attend when he misses his plane. We are led to believe that he was cheating with a young student and certain clues would confirm that suspicion. As the film progresses we wonder if it was in her imagination or maybe he just was being friendly with his students. In this way you are always probing the action.

Dr Stewart hires Chloe (Seyfried) to tempt her husband and to report back to her. Chloe faithfully gives a lurid detailed description of her acts with the husband.

To add a little intrigue we meet the son Michael. He is a musician who has a poor relationship with his parents. He brings young girls into the house and doesn’t seem to respect his parents.

The plot becomes complicated when Chloe starts bothering Dr Stewart and begins a relationship with her. One scene is rather explicit but I thought it was beautifully filmed.

I wasn’t surprised when Michael, the son, also had ‘a go’ with Chloe.

I kept telling myself that Atom Egoyan only directs films that are off the beaten path. This one is no exception but I enjoyed it.

There are some scenes that go a little ‘over the top’ but I accept it because this director is so creative. He is also one of our most recognized Canadian directors. He has even been a judge for the Cannes Film Festival. He has directed opera and is a very talented artist.

Having stated all of the above I certainly can understand why someone would find the film distasteful.