Elle

In this one, Isabelle Huppert portrays a very arrogant woman for whom nothing is sacred and who is literally willing to walk over dead bodies to get what she wants. And since there is really nobody to root for in this film, I as the viewer was left at least to enjoy the psycho thriller atmosphere that the movie really had. But on top of that, the movie lasted for more than two hours, which definitely isn’t a plus in this case. (21/02/2017)

To be honest, I'm pretty excited about this year's films that have been nominated for an Oscar in some category. That applies to the film Elle as well, where Paul Verhoeven shows that even at 78, he hasn't lost his touch and remains a masterful director who guided Isabelle Huppert to a brilliant performance. A modern, gritty, yet extremely interesting film. (20/02/2017)

Verhoeven's spectacular return to the top league - and at the same time a slap in the face to all childish provocateurs who think that the more perverse the scenes they put on the screen, the deeper they go. Paul made a black, scathing and extremely cynical variation on a rape-revenge movie, which is also a brutal comedy about an incredibly manipulative lady and one very specific therapy. Isabelle Hupert's magnetizing performance, precise directing (the amount of positions that this film deftly connects is a rather unprecedented thing), an extremely precise depiction of perversion and ordinary violence of interpersonal relationships. Were it not for the slightly naive and jerky gaming plane, which refers to the cause of gamersgate and sexism, it would be top notch. But even so, this one of the most inspiring films of the year and best films of this year's Cannes. [Cannes 2016] (21/05/2016)

Though Michael Haneke’s similar Caché was more mysterious and had more suspense, it is refreshing to see Paul Verhoeven (who usually relies a lot on the formal aspects) return to a visually raw, psychologically intimate drama and rely exclusively on actors. Few characters are normal here and the protagonist is the queen of bitches. We do not sympathize with her for what has happened to her, but we are curious to know how she, in her aloofness towards everyone and everything, will deal with the unexpected demon and what their next interaction will look like. I could do without the humorous undertone that lightens up the serious subject and the exploration of the complex main character. But it’s a part of the director’s unique style that makes the film extraordinary, which is crucial. I gave the fourth star for its perfectly composed direction. It’s no accident that I mentioned Haneke by accident, and Roman Polanski’s name could also be invoked. And that is more than good company for once the creator of Hollywood blockbusters. (29/11/2016)

Running time is excessively long (especially the third quarter is a bit short of breath), but otherwise it's a good old psycho and perverted ambivalent "Verhoeven movie" based on the suffocating erotic tension of the pathological relationship and (not cheap!) controversy touching several genres, which traditionally uses seemingly incompatible topics. Although it is not for everyone, I would still recommend it to everyone. If for nothing else, then for the enchanting super-performance of Isabelle. Something like this has been seen a few times in a decade and who knows, maybe even less than that. (15/10/2016)