The title of "Girl Cut in Two" makes it sound more like a gruesome thriller than it does a drama about a romantic triangle.
But that's what this French import is — for at least a good 100 minutes of its nearly two-hour running time. Then the tenor of the film changes entirely, including an unconvincing plot "twist" and a bizarre ending that doesn't really work.
Still, there are some good performances. And it's definitely nothing like what we've come to expect from Claude Chabrol, a filmmaker who's been called the French Alfred Hitchcock.
The title character is Gabrielle Deneige (Ludivine Sagnier, from "Swimming Pool"). She's a weather girl and a rising star of a French television station.
Gabrielle is also being courted by two very different men — aging novelist and womanizer Charles Saint-Denis (Francois Berleand) and the spoiled-rich Paul Gaudens (Benoit Magimel), who absolutely despises Charles.
The rivalry between the two men only worsens when Gabrielle decides she's in love with the much-older, still-married Charles. But then he abruptly dumps her.
Devastated and extremely vulnerable, Gabrielle then turns to Paul, who's more than happy to be her confidant. At least at first, he is. ...
Again, the film has its good points. It's best when it's being a surprisingly sensitive portrait of the rather-naive lead character. (Sagnier is very appealing and is terrific as Gabrielle.)
Unfortunately, the male co-leads are more problematic. We don't really like veteran actor Berleand's self-involved, philandering Charles. But Paul is even worse. (Magimel is charmless and surprisingly creepy. Perhaps that's what co-screenwriter/director Chabrol asked of him, though.)
"Girl Cut in Two" is not rated but would probably receive an R for scattered, strong sexual language (profanity and other suggestive talk), some brief strong violence (a shooting), brief sexual contact (mostly implied), derogatory language and slurs, brief drug references (pharmaceuticals), and glimpses of nude statues. Running time: 115 minutes.
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