The Woman inside the Fifth ((La Femme du 5e))

An ATO Pictures (in U.S.) relieve a Haut et Court and Film4 presentation, in colaboration with U.K. Film Council, from the co-production with SPI Intl. Belgium as well as the Bureau, while using participation of Canal Plus, Orange Cinema Series, Haut et Court Distribution, Artificial Eye, in colaboration with Indication Films Intl., Coficup -- Backup Films, La Banque Postale Image 4, Soficinema 6, Polish Film Institute, while using support of I2I, a Media Program in the Eu, developed while using support of Cofinova 2. (Worldwide sales: Indication Films Intl., Paris.) Produced by Caroline Benjo, Carole Scotta. Executive producer, Tessa Ross. Co-producers, Piotr Reisch, Soledad Gatti-Pascual. Directed, put together by Pawel Pawlikowski, good novel by Douglas Kennedy.Tom - Ethan HawkeMargit - Kristin Scott ThomasAnia - Joanna KuligSezer - Samir GuesmiA story rife with alienation, paranoia and intimations of madness feels pretty fifth-rate in "The Woman inside the Fifth," Pawel Pawlikowski's disappointing follow-around 2004's "My Summer season of love.In . The Roman Polanski of three decades ago might have made something properly devious and unsettling by using this moribund Euro thriller, occur one of the uglier visions of Paris to sophistication the screen, where an unhappy American author (Ethan Hawke) comes beneath the spell from the mysterious siren (Kristin Scott Thomas). Arthouse audiences are unlikely being similarly bewitched, though cast names and Pawlikowski's repetition assure some commercial profile worldwide. Modified by Pawlikowski in the novel by American author Douglas Kennedy, the film stays virtually every scene within the organization of Tom Ricks (Hawkes), a u . s . states professor and novelist which has showed up at Paris to repair relations along with his embittered wife, Nathalie (Delphine Chuillot), and reunite utilizing their youthful daughter, Chloe (Julie Papillon). Spurned by Nathalie and conned of his possessions some time later, Tom eventually ends up inside a squalid hotel tell you the shady Sezer (Samir Guesmi), who gives him a short job just like a evening watchman inside a nearby warehouse in exchange for room and board. Attending a close literary gathering, Tom meets the elegant Margit (Scott Thomas), a translator who lives inside the city's fifth arrondissement. Margit takes him to bed mattress and encourages the reawakening of his talents, which have lain dormant since the publication of his first and merely novel. But as Tom soon realizes, his new muse's techniques of creative inspiration exceed the strictly sexual. Soon he's lost in the waking nightmare conveyed none too creepily for the audience through hallucinatory shots of moving bugs and what seems just like a red-colored-colored-hooded girl lounging unconscious in the forest glade. Tom's possible descent into madness possibly describes why he doesn't decide to solve his problems in practical ways -- getting money wired to him in the usa, for instance, and for that reason avoid the necessity to fall together with dangerous thugs. An O. Henry-ant twist essentially exposes the story becoming an empty tease, a fireplace tale spun to some tedious and stilted 83 minutes. Frowning from behind thick-rimmed glasses, Hawke has rarely looked more nebbishy onscreen than he's doing here, and also the clenched, sour attitude doesn't cause him to especially rewarding company. Nor does he generate intense sparks with Scott Thomas, who's fine since the figurative spider spinning a most enticing web. Among all the filth and murk, Joanna Kulig radiates hope and light-weight just like a friendly Polish barmaid whom Tom evolves a desire to have, while Guesmi's Sezer cuts a suavely menacing figure. The proceedings aren't without any certain humor, a variety of it stemming from Tom's uncomfortable interactions with fellow hotel guest Omar (Mamadou Minte), whose refusal to get rid of the communal toilet becomes a plot reason behind some importance. Ryszard Lenczewski's lensing attempts to make a hazy, dreamlike mood with blurred shots of near-empty streets as well as the backs of characters' heads. Aside from Tom and Margit's meeting on the top terrace near to the Eiffel Tower, Paris should look almost completely uninviting, which is a dubious achievement during an even more satisfying thriller than that certain.Camera (color), Ryszard Lenczewski editor, David Charap music, Max p Wardener music supervisor, Francois Dru production designer, Benoit Barouh art director, Christophe Couzon set decorator, Devi Tirouvanziam costume designers, Julian Day, Shaida Day appear, Nicolas Cantin re-recording mixer, Jean-Pierre Laforce visual effects supervisor, Cedric Fayolle visual effects, Mikros Image line producer, Barbara Letellier connect producer, Simon Arnal assistant director/second unit director, Nicolas Cambois casting, Stephane Batut, Alexandre Nazarian. Examined at Toronto Film Festival (Special Presentations), Sept. 12, 2011. Running time: 83 MIN.With: Delphine Chuillot, Julie Papillon, Geoffrey Carey, Mamadou Minte. (British, French, Polish dialogue) Contact Justin Chang at justin.chang@variety.com