Sous la griffe: A Circus Soap Opera with Too Many Feelings

Wait, who actually likes this?

If you have a thing for vintage circus melodrama, Sous la griffe might scratch that itch. But if you’re looking for a tight, punchy script, you’re probably going to be checking your watch by the thirty-minute mark.

Honestly, it’s a bit of a slog. It’s got that specific, dusty 1930s vibe where everyone is *very* dramatic about everything. 🎭

The Circus Vibe

The whole movie is basically built around this weird tension. Nikita is this brooding tamer guy—total control freak. Then there’s the trapeze artist, who is exactly as floaty and detached as you’d expect. The way they stare at each other in the background of scenes while other people are talking? It’s almost funny.

I caught myself looking at the background extras more than the leads for a while. There’s one guy in a striped shirt who spends three whole scenes just cleaning the same cage. I respect the dedication.

Some Thoughts

• The lion scenes have that 'don't get too close to the screen' energy.
• The lighting in the tent makes everyone look like they haven't slept in a week.
• I think the trapeze artist might actually be allergic to the circus. He looks miserable.

It reminds me a little of the heavy-handed emotional stakes in Sisters, but without the same kind of bite. It’s just… a lot of walking around and sighing.

The dialogue? It’s very stiff. It’s like they were afraid to let the characters actually speak like real people. Everything is a grand declaration of love or betrayal. 🙄

Still, the production design is cool in a gritty, 'we-really-built-this-in-a-field' kind of way. It feels real, even when the acting feels like a stage play from a century ago.

Don't expect a masterpiece. Just expect some guys in costumes being grumpy. It’s a classic case of a movie that takes itself way more seriously than it needs to.

Would I watch it again? Probably not. Am I glad I saw it? Sure, for the weird lion close-ups alone. Sometimes that's enough.