Movie Review: Queen To Play

The setting of this French film is very entertaining. Shot on the isle of Corse The Island with its its white craggy heights is completely surrounded by water which makes it all the more a lush location where any girl would be able to reach any heights even with a prior lack of confidence.

Kevin Kline playing Dr. Kroger actually is Helene's mentor and friend.  Although there could be better people in French Cinema to play this role, Kevin is merely passable. He played the role of an aging physician who has lost his wife and is slowly losing further interest in this life too. It is now that Helene , a part time house-keeper strikes up an unlikely friendship by asking him to play chess with her.

If you love French Films and even if you don't there is less likelihood that you would want to miss watching the lovely chemistry between two people that has been shown in this movie. If not for anything, merely just for Sandrine's performance in the film.

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Queen To Play

Director: Caroline Bottaro

Language: French

Running time: 96 minutes

Publisher: Zeitgeist Films

Cast: Jennifer Beals, Dominic Gould, Sandrine Bonnaire

An attractive couple holidaying in a hotel on the isle of Corse (Corsica), participates in chess on their balcony manage to catche the attention of a maid. 

Jennifer Beals is that feminine guest with a happy, rich and in love kind of a look when she is playing on the coquette over which she plays chess. Helene the chambermaid (Sandrine Bonnaire) makes mental notes of each detail within the unfolding scene. She takes notice of Beals' mop of up-swept hair and falling tendrils to the golden robe that she leaves behind on the bed...and of course an open game of chess.

Being the Chambermaid, Helene is pale, plain, tall and skinny with fine blond hair which she wears in a bun. However her encounter with this glamorous guest runs deep within and manages to change everything. Following that day she begins to demonstrate her interest and inquisitiveness in chess. She also quickly decides she needs to reboot ever since she was able to see for live, her fantasy of the couple on the balcony, when she was at work. 

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