Simon, At the Crack of Dawn (2009)
Simon, At the Crack of Dawn is the fifth film that Pierre Creton and Vincent Barré have made together. As the film is the quintessence of poetic cinema, it is impossible to lock any subject into the confines of a form, which is nonetheless as round as a cob loaf. What we can try to write about is the resonance of signs, the vibrations of matter and the mysterious radiation of meaning between the images and sounds….If the film were to lend itself to a summary, a single sentence would suffice and would describe the most banal reality: “Before dawn, while people are still asleep in their beds, a baker makes his bread”. But this would be to disregard two shots that ill fit such a narrative….and which tip Simon, at the crack of dawn towards a tale of fantasy.
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Reviews
At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.
All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.
It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.
It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.