Search - She's One of Us on DVD

Samuel K. (Solvanda)
Reviewed on 7/5/2018...

Seems like many French films have the habit of leaving things up to the viewer's interpretations. You may arrive at the end of this title scratching your head. Here we have a woman (Christine) and what is going on inside of her? Near as I can make out, nobody's at home, folks! In other words, a sociopath (which term was changed to psychopath by the mental health industry some time ago.) And it seems clear to me that this is really what this movie is about, although the director expressed this is really about office politics and such. I don't see it though. There are some scenes here which will knock you upside the head. And you will not see them coming, either.

Beautiful Photography

Chasmodai | 12/26/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I enjoy movies that don't seem to follow a discernable formula, that leave one guessing. I replayed some scenes, trying to figure them out.



After reading the online reviews, I was confused when I read that the director said this was "above all a critique of the workplace, which saps the creativity of workers."



I thought it was a portrait of a woman with a severe personality disorder.

Although, when you think about it, her coworkers DID accept her only after she had a permanent job and a driver's license, lacking the insight to notice that something was very wrong with her.



I found this film to be subtle and deceptive. At first it seems slow-moving, and it seems to not be saying much, but actually it's saying a lot in every frame. It's just harder to spot. After watching it, I read the critical reveiws and watched it again, this time trying to see how much more I could spot.



I have a theory about the ending. She gets into a police car, unbidden, then the scene switches to nightfall. She is still in the car, but the officers are not there. Are they searching for the remains of her latest victim? Investigating yet another crime scene?



If you are intrigued by photography and acting that can make a woman beautiful in one scene and utterly monstrous in another, if you like movies that make you exercise your brain, you may just like this one."

Silences of Loneliness

Lee Armstrong | Winterville, NC United States | 08/21/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Sasha Andress stars in this film as Christine Blanc. She is a socially awkward, lonely person. The silences and spaces in the film will make the pace very slow for American viewers; however, the spaces in the film serve to show how silent the life of the very lonely is. Sasha is not the most beautiful of women, but her eyes do communicate great range from nervousness to shyness to humor and anger. Sasha works for a temp agency headed by Patricia played by Catherine Mouchet. The French Academy of Cinema nominated Mouchet as Best Supporting Actress for "Ma Petite Entreprise." Christine invites Patricia to her home for dinner. Christine has apparently invented a boyfriend who she claims is out of town. The dinner goes well and results in Patricia coming by to get Christine when she has been ill. Patricia buys matching lime green bathing suits and takes her to a pool. Reasons why the film complicates were unclear. Christine coughs and apparently is not a good swimmer, having visions of death when she's knocked unexpectedly into the pool. She goes off to an empty hallway near the locker room and coughs and tries to recover. Patricia comes to find her friend and touches her when Christine does respond to her. Why Christine reacts violently is hard to say. The whimpering Patricia will probably attract attention; so Christine does what any red-blooded Frenchwoman would do -- she picks up a fire extinguisher and bashes Patricia's head in.



From there, Christine's life picks up considerably. She's offered a permanent job by the Human Resources Director who only wants a little oral sex as his reward for hiring. Christine acquires a younger boyfriend Eric who moves in with her. Eric Caravaca who was nominated by the French Academy of Cinema for his portrayal of a disfigured WWI officer in "La Chambre of Officiers" plays Eric. Christine manipulates the HR Director to give leave to one coworker who wears the same sweater as she and fire another young man who she's stared at in a mall and has now come to her firm as a temp. While her coworker vacations in the resort at Luxor, Egypt, Eric and Christine apparently also vacation resulting in the amazing long nude scene where the camera stares at the privates of these two unmoving lovers. Eventually Inspector Degas played by Carlo Brandt investigates the crime and Christine is repeatedly questioned by the police.



I watched the film with 3 other people, none of whom understood the ending. Here's my interpretation for those of you scratching your heads as we did. Christine is lonely & awkward when the film begins. Eventually, she finds her station in life. During her vacation with the little office temp, she appears to find true joy and happiness. My theory is that in order for her to really be free to experience these newfound positive emotions, she must atone for the murder of Patricia. Thus, at the end of the film, she blocks a police car and climbs in, refusing to leave. Why the officers abandon their vehicle or the car lights from within as night falls, I know not. But that's my theory of the ending of the piece.



For a first film, Siegrid Alrony has created a visually stunning film. It is a slow-paced film filled with the silences of loneliness. Enjoy!

"

A Beautifully Shot Film

Irene Alfonso | Miami, Florida USA | 03/28/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Elle est des Notres is a beautifully shot film that leaves you feeling rather closed in by society. Christine Blanc, in my opinion is a antisocial person who becomes quite normal after a shocking encounter. She then leads an ordinary life until her past catches up to her. The acting is superb, and the characters are rather odd, but the plot needs a bit of help. I especially like the character of Sebastian who seems to know her from the beginning of the film, although I didn't get it in the first view. The jewel in the film is actually the camera angels and the pans, that they shot. A good but odd film."