Blanc de Blanc (2009)
Blanc de Blanc is a small film with heart. Originally made on a bet that the director could make a film in 2 weeks. The film is quite professional for its limitations, and it works. The story is bare bones, yet the plot is somewhat engaging. A young women meets a mysterious man, and they start a relationship. It's as simple as that, and thats the films charm.
How Lucas McNelly (director) presents his film is at times slow and plotting, but it is the actors that make this a fascinating film. Both Rachel Shaw and Jason Kirsch are brilliant in their performances. Watching these actors is what riveted me to the film. The film is shot beautifully by David Eger, and the music by Jerome Wincek is effective and does set the tone of the film.
What I felt was weak was the stories structure. There is a lot of dialogue that seems to be used as padding for the film. I felt that a lot of the scenes could have been cut. The film is strongest when the two principles are on the screen, and it is their performances that held me. I understand that McNelly uses his scenes to set the films pace, and he does so effectively, yet it felt slow to me, and my attention wandered a bit. I have to confess I was eyeing the fast forward button at times. But I can't stress enough that I really loved the performances by the principles, and think McNelly did a great job in pulling that out of them.
I don't agree with how the film ends, and I won't spoil it here. Leaving the ending ambivalent seemed more of a cop out then a real choice. Of course this is the filmmakers choice to choose, and McNelly does a heck of a job producing an intelligent and interesting film.
I found the film inspirational, and really enjoyed watching the performances of Shaw and Kirsch. It's amazing one can do with so little.
The film is available on Tubi the streaming platform for free. It's well worth seeing what an artist can do with limited resources. Help support a bunch of talented artists, and maybe get inspired in the process.
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