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On Tour review
:. Director: Mathieu Amalric
:. Starring: Miranda Colclasure, Suzanne Ramsey
:. Running Time: 1:30
:. Year: 2010
:. Country: France
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For his fourth directorial venture, actor/director Mathieu Amalric immerses himself in the milieu of the New Burlesque, filming the chronicle of an aborted tour. It is the story of a fallen French producer hoping to return to the front of the stage with a stripper show, imported from the United States. Dedicated to notoriety, the company moves from one seaside town to another (Le Havre, Toulon, La Rochelle) with the hope of a final show in the capital. But blacklisted in the Parisian showbiz circles, and despite his many efforts to redeem himself in the eyes of his former collaborators, failure still awaits him at the end of the journey ... Unless this is a story of redemption as, through the contact with his voluptuous dancers, the cynical manager will end up being touched by their grace and authenticity.
With a tight-waisted blazer and pimp style moustaches, Mathieu Amalric does not give himself the best role with this arrogant and cynical character, desperate to do anything to climb back to the top. Masochist, he accepts being punched in the face all along the film and is moving in his capitulation. Imposing their voluptuous curves, and their outsized physique, the sublime Mimi Le Meaux Kitten On The Keys, and Dirty Martini (stars of the New Burlesque in the USA) are the stars of the film. Amalric focuses particularly on the blonde Mimi whose beautiful face he scrutinizes, to find all the loneliness created by touring. By the grace of her presence, the film earns its depth. Suffering from homesickness (to the point of seeking a semblance of affection from the spectators as equally uprooted as they are), these colorful artists bring to this film its melancholic beauty.
From beginning to end, Mathieu Amalric is moved by these performers dragged from hotels to provincial theaters. And under the loving eye of the camera, he magnifies them, while revealing them. This is one of the achievements of On Tour: the idea that to expose oneself emotionally costs more than to undress on stage. Between discretion and disclosure, the film follows its nomadic itinerary. Oscillating between drama and comedy, funny scenes and edgy despair, On Tour makes this behind the scenes look material for a good feminist film, free of any voyeuristic fascination.
Moland Fengkov
Translated into English by Christina Azarnia
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