Manhattan Life Portrait

Author(s): Harry
Location: Columbia

“Manhattan Life Portrait"

A Focus Features Release
Written and directed by: Woody Allen
Music by: John Legend
Cinematography by: Tom Stern
Editing by: John Bloom
Art Direction by: Andrew M. Stearn
Produced by: Charles H. Joffe, Ross Katz and Mike Nichols

Principal Cast:

Mathieu Kassovitz as Rémy Gris
Laura Linney as Harper Ellington
Thomas Haden Church as Lorenz Hans
Scarlett Johansson as Dana Gris
Sebastian Koch as Florian Jentsc
Diane Keaton as Sarah Ellington
Ian McKellen as Oliver Wallace

Tagline: “Actions Cannot Fix the Wrong Things of Life. Feelings Can”

Synopsis: Manhattan is a place of its own. Some of its most enjoyed activities include listening to its jazz music, tasting the delicious food of its restaurants or simply taking a walk in the charismatic Central Park. Even if it is a wonderful place, life in Manhattan is like one of its very long streets. Although you know where you want to drive to, you will never expect when you will run over another person.

After a tiresome day, French detective Rémy Gris arrives to his apartment realizing that his life is tearing apart. His wife left him for another man and Lieutenant Oliver Wallace assigned him a very difficult case that he hasn’t been able to solve. Trying to ignore all of his problems, Rémy lights the chimney of his living room. Suddenly, he notices a picture that they once took him. Rémy begins to closely observe it and then, he begins to think about many things he has done in the last few months. Rémy begins to reflect…

With a life many would desire, Rémy is a successful man. He is married with best-selling author Dana Gris, the daughter of the very famous painter Sarah Ellington. His best friends are the friendly police officer Lorenz Hans and the lonely German film director Florian Jentsc. His idol is Margaret Fitzgerald, a jazz singer. To obtain all that belongs to him, Remy had to discreetly manipulate the persons surrounding him without regretting it.

Because of the holidays, Rémy meets his sister-in-law Harper Ellington, a photographer living in Barcelona who came visit her sister. Harper is a person of good that helps the poor thru her art and who believes in hope. As the days pass, Rémy begins to feel something that he has tried to forget, love. Remy loves Harper and begins a secret affair with her so that he doesn’t loose what he has already got. Meanwhile, his wife Dana learns of this and immediately begins an affair with Lorenz, one of his friends.

On a rather usual morning, Remy gets a call from Lieutenant Oliver Wallace who informs him about a new victim of murder. The corpse was founded in a trash can and the name of the departed woman is Harper Ellington. The lieutenant also assigns him the case. When he hangs up, Remy remembers the moment of the murder. He was the persons who brutally killed Harper in cold blood when he learned that his wife was cheating on him with Lorenz. He also remembers when he throws her to the trash can trying to hide her. Remy must now seek for himself.

After reflecting on all that has happened, Remy remembers that Harper took him the picture and immediately throws it to the flames of his chimney. Then, he begins to slowly drop a little tear from his eyes. Feeling emotionally drained, he begins to cry. For the first time in a long time, Remy feels disgust and regret in all of the things that he has committed. For the first time, Remy feels as fragile and sensitive as a human is.

What the press would say:

Woody Allen’s latest motion picture “Manhattan Life Portrait” is a reflexive film about the sensitivity and regret of humanity. Allen manages to write a smart and heartfelt script with unforgettable characters, very clever dialogues and some thrilling moments of climax that surprise us. Allen’s directing is also impeccable. He manages to create a brilliant atmosphere of Manhattan and some very clear scenes that make us feel a certain emotion. Allen directs an outstanding cast leaded by French actor Mathieu Kassovitz. Mathieu’s portrayal of the cold detective Rémy Gris is believable and heartbreaking. Throughout the film, we do not seen him acting, we see him completely becoming his character. Among the supporting players, the most notable are Laura Linney as a woman of good that ends up having an affair with her sister’s husband, Thomas Haden Church as a friendly police officer who does everything possible to stop Remy from knowing that he’s having an affair with his wife and of Scarlett Johansson as a woman who has an affair with Remy’s best friend after learning about the infidelities of his husband. Completely shot in black and white and with an editing that conducts the drive very well, “Manhattan Life Portrait” is a terrific piece of art about the humanity and emotions we all have inside of us.

Awards:

Best Picture (AMPAS) – Charles H. Joffe, Ross Katz and Mike Nichols
Best Picture Drama (HFPA)
Best Ensemble (SAG)
Best Director – Woody Allen
Best Actor – Mathieu Kassovitz
Best Supporting Actor – Thomas Haden Church
Best Supporting Actress – Laura Linney
Best Supporting Actress – Scarlett Johansson
Best Original Screenplay – Woody Allen
Best Original Score – John Legend
Best Cinematography – Tom Stern
Best Art Direction – Andrew M. Stearn
Best Film Editing – John Bloom