Jeanne: A quiet wander through old French cinema

Is this for you?

If you have the patience for black-and-white films that don’t feel the need to shout every five minutes, you’ll probably find something to love here. But honestly? If you’re looking for a plot that moves at a brisk pace or a clear hero to root for, you’re going to be bored to tears within twenty minutes.

It’s for the people who like watching old architecture and dusty rooms more than they like complex scripts. Definitely not for the popcorn crowd.

The feel of the thing

There’s this scene about halfway through—I think it’s the third time we see a specific hallway—where the lighting just hits the wallpaper in a way that feels totally accidental. The camera lingers on a coat rack for maybe three seconds too long. It’s not symbolic or deep, it’s just… there. It made me realize that this whole production probably felt just as humid and slow for the crew as it looks on screen.

The performances are all over the place. Sometimes it feels like they’re in a play, projecting to the back row, and then someone like Gaby Morlay will just mumble something, and suddenly the whole room feels real again. It’s lopsided. I kind of liked that, actually.

• The pacing is basically a suggestion.
• I swear the background music just stops for no reason sometimes.
• Some of the side characters have these weird, intense stares that aren't explained.

It reminded me a bit of the mood in Tarnished Lady, where the atmosphere is doing all the heavy lifting while the actors try to catch up. But where that movie feels like it’s chasing a specific vibe, Jeanne just kind of exists.

Don't look for a lesson. Don't look for a grand arc. There’s a moment where a character walks out of a door and you expect them to go on some mission, but they just stand there on the sidewalk and light a cigarette. It’s the most honest part of the film. 🚬

Is it a masterpiece? No. Is it a perfect way to waste a rainy afternoon? Maybe. Just don't ask me what the ending actually meant, because I’m pretty sure the director didn't know either.