Woody Allen revisits one of his go-to themes: men getting away with murder
If one were to stumble into a screening of “Coup de Chance” without knowing the identity of its writer-director, it would make for a perfectly enjoyable day at the movies. The problem is that the writer-director is Woody Allen.
Allen hasn’t had a major theatrical release in over six years; his last was “Wonder Wheel” in 2017. He has made two films since then — “A Rainy Day in New York” (released here in 2020) and “Rifkin’s Festival” (2022) — but neither was easy to find in US cinemas. The American movie industry essentially benched Allen in late 2017, after his daughter Dylan Farrow published a piece in the Los Angeles Times accusing Allen of molesting her as a child. The renewed allegation, which arrived in the wake of other #MeToo stories about abuse and misconduct by Hollywood men, relegated Allen to the sidelines. (Allen has long denied the accusations.)
Since its premiere at the Venice International Film Festival last year, however, some industry players have wondered whether “Coup de Chance” will mark a turning point. The film is capably made and entertaining — likely the director’s best movie in over a decade, which, considering the competition, isn’t saying much. But perhaps more importantly, the plot of “Coup de Chance” is removed from the controversy surrounding Allen’s life. This is far from “Manhattan,” a film that, for me and many, now feels weighted down with biographical baggage.
In fact, although “Coup de Chance” includes familiar Allen plot points, it neatly side-steps reminders of his current reputation in the film world. One is able to watch the movie and not think about his scandals — at least not directly. Whether that’s a good thing remains up to the viewer.
It is crucial to note that the film is set in Paris and is entirely in French, a language Allen has said he doesn’t speak. Its foreign setting is significant, given that well-known American actors have distanced themselves from Allen; several of his more recent collaborators, including Timothée Chalamet, Selena Gomez, and Rebecca Hall, expressed regret at having worked with the director and donated their salaries from “A Rainy Day in New York” to causes including Time’s Up.
The stars of “Coup de Chance” — which translates to “stroke of luck” — are prominent French actors, and they comport themselves well, given their director’s language barrier. The film plays on themes Allen has long orbited in his career: lust, infidelity, murder. Perhaps deliberately, “Coup de Chance” recalls two of Allen’s best films, “Crimes and Misdemeanors” (1989) and “Match Point” (2005), both of which follow outwardly ordinary men who kill indiscriminately and with impunity. In 2015, Allen resurrected this character type to less success in “Irrational Man,” a comedy starring Joaquin Phoenix.
“Coup de Chance” remains strictly in drama mode, which proves a boon to the film. The protagonist is Fanny (Lou de Laâge), a young and sociable art gallerist married to the older, wealthy Jean (Melvil Poupaud), a businessman who explains his job by saying he makes rich people richer. In the opening scene, Fanny has a chance encounter with Alain (Niels Schneider), an old school chum who is subletting a nearby garret while working on his novel.
Alain is Jean’s foil. Where Jean treats Fanny as a trophy to parade at high society events, Alain is a literary free spirit who awakens memories of Fanny’s bohemian roots. Over a series of picnic lunches, Fanny reconnects with Alain, and soon consummates their flirtation by beginning a covert affair. She has a little trouble with the covert part, and Jean, suspecting infidelity, hires a private eye to have Fanny followed. No shock in what happens next — though the juiciest scenes occur after Alain’s sudden disappearance, as Fanny’s mother, Camille (Valérie Lemercier), attempts to unravel the mystery.
Less a one-note villain than a desperate braggart, Jean is an oddly appealing presence. The film has lots of fun showcasing the character’s prized possession: a sprawling and costly-looking electric model train set. Exhibiting the apparatus to peers, Jean appears at once pathetic and kind of sweet, like a child unduly proud of a Lego construction. Beholding the set in one scene, Jean describes the satisfaction of riding a train through a dark tunnel before emerging on the other side. The moment pays off later when Jean takes a nefarious meeting while walking under a tunnel by the Seine; the shot cuts before he can exit out the other end.
The film’s closing is abrupt and maybe too tidy, but “Coup de Chance” is still a clever little thriller. It displays an admirable economy of storytelling, and its jazz-heavy soundtrack helps maintain a jaunty mood.
Will “Coup de Chance” become a runaway hit? Probably not. Yet recent arguments against allowing Allen back into the Hollywood fray often include some version of, “Well, his movies haven’t been good in a decade, anyway.” While it won’t reverse that sentiment, “Coup de Chance” may complicate it ever so slightly.