“Sybil”

A Bruce Pierini Review

http://<FrenchFilmNews@sacramentofrenchfilmfestival.org

(note: do not confuse this with Sally Field’s 70’s film about a woman with 15 personalities)

The 2019 French film “Sybil” has three elements that hooked me:  The French language (with subtitles), gorgeous scenes of the Sicilian island of Stromboli with the chic movie set but most importantly, an intriguing, occasionally used narrative plot featuring a bored psychotherapist using her patient’s life as fodder for her own novel. Those are the reasons to see this film. But when you are enjoying these parts, you’ll be distracted by too many sub-plots that fall flat.  The movie has gotten very different reviews from the big pens, but mostly universal acclaim for the main actress Virginie Efira who plays the lead role of a bored, corrupt psychotherapist.  My favorite character of the film is director on set in Stromboli, the “German” Mika  (Sandra Hüller).  I love her style and honestly expressed frustrations with the romantic and professional discordances around the set. I’d like to read other’s reactions to this film.