watch later

Not interested / seen

Irma Vep (1996)Irma Vep (1996)

Irma Vep (1996)

A satiric take on French filmmaking through the eyes of Maggie Cheung

Comedy, Drama

best
THE VERY BEST

8.1

movie

France
English, French
Discussion-sparking, Raw, Smart
1996
Olivier Assayas
Alex Descas, Antoine Basler, Bernard Nissile
99 min

Synopsis

rotten tomatoes
imdb
wikipedia
Hong Kong action diva Maggie Cheung (playing herself) comes to France when a past-his-prime director casts her in a remake of the silent classic Les Vampires. Clad in a rubber catsuit and unable to speak a word of French, Cheung finds herself adrift in the insanity of the film industry…

Our Take

8.1
Isabella Endrinal

In this film-within-a-film, we and a fictional version of actress Maggie Cheung are brought through the disorienting experience of French filmmaking. The film’s washed-up director wants to remake the classic silent film Les Vampires to revive his career. But as with all plans, everything inevitably goes wrong. On top of depicting the regular chaos of a movie set, this film presents the anxieties of the modern-day French film industry—about how it may be past its prime, and how it can still compete on a global level. And through the steady, inscrutable face of Maggie Cheung, we remember the creative collaborations we’ve had ourselves—the energetic passion, the behind-the-scenes power dynamics, and the pure chaos of the process.

Comments

What did you think? Who should watch it?

Next up

You Hurt My Feelings (2023)

7.9

Wise, funny, and utterly relatable, this mediation on the merits of white lies and bitter truths is a delightful piece of work

Sanctuary (2023)

best

8.4

An ingenious blend of erotic thriller and dark comedy with a once-in-a-lifetime performance by Margaret Qualley

Cette Maison (2022)

best

8.4

A heartbreaking but transcendent dramatic exercise that uses imagination to reckon with a devastating loss

Polite Society (2023)

best

8.6

This riotous mishmash of influences still feels utterly original thanks to some ingenious writing and a whirlwind central performance

The Stroll (2023)

best

8.5

The often neglected but deeply necessary story of trans sex workers, finally told in their own voice

Godland (2022)

best

8.3

A grand, terrific beauty of a film

Maggie Moore(s) (2023)

6.5

An endearing cast can’t save this forgettable true-crime thriller

About My Father (2023)

4.4

This weak imitation of Meet the Parents can't be saved, not even by Robert De Niro

Stan Lee (2023)

7.0

A charming introduction to the famous comic book creator with words from the man himself

The Village (2023)

6.7

The past haunts the present in this tale of loss and preservation of a village