The Captive (2000)

The writer calls the film amazing and strongly admires Akerman’s distinctive, patient style. They particularly praise her camera movement and carefully composed frames.

Brody gives the film a strongly positive assessment, praising Akerman’s transformation of Proust into a distinctive cinematic melodrama. He singles out its suspenseful scenes and modernist dialogue with Hitchcock and Godard.

The review says Akerman is back in top form with a strange but compelling adaptation of Proust. It singles out the film’s compelling take on the novel, set in just-about-modern-day Paris.

The available page identifies this as a review, but its critical verdict is not visible. The review’s specific praise or complaint cannot be determined from the accessible text.

Parkinson finds the adaptation intriguing as a study of passion and possession, but says its solemn staging makes it hard to engage with. He praises Akerman’s controlled visual style while arguing that it distances viewers from the disturbing story.

McCabe finds the film’s investigation of passion intriguing but says its solemnity ultimately suppresses its fascination. He singles out the distancing effect of its long takes and meticulous compositions.

Bradshaw finds the film opaque and emotionally obscure, with its study of jealousy less compelling than comparable works. He praises a bathing scene whose glass screen elegantly conveys both eroticism and estrangement.

Rooney finds the film sterile, lifeless, and frustrating, arguing that its cerebral solemnity drains the story of impact. He credits its observations about the desire to possess another person, but says repetitive dialogue and an uneventful narrative overwhelm them.

The critic finds the film dull and its relationship lacking continuity. He singles out the characters’ tedious routines and the mismatch between the thriller-like setup and what follows.