6 reasons to see all the works of Jean-Marc Vallee - author of the Dallas Buyers Club and Sharp Objects

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The ideal director for those who love good music, exciting stories and genuine emotions.

The name of Jean-Marc Vallee became known to the general public relatively recently. Five years ago, he shocked everyone with the film "Dallas Buyers Club", which brought Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto the well-deserved Oscars and Golden Globes. It was then that many learned that Valle had made excellent films before. The whole world was already watching the director's further work. The next film "Wild" was twice nominated for an Oscar and many other awards. And after the emotional film "Destruction", Valle turned to television.

The series "Big Little Lies", shot by him, became one of the best projects of 2017. And now the mini-series "Sharp Objects" with Amy Adams in the title role ends, which will undoubtedly also win not only the love of the audience, but also many television awards. Jean-Marc Vallee's works are unique, literally each of his projects deserves attention for several reasons.

1. He loves real stories

Vallee practically does not turn to fantastic plots. He loves to talk about what is happening in real life. Even in the slightly phantasmagoric film C. R. A. Z. Y., where the main character possessed the gift of healing, the action focused more on the teenager's search for himself in the conservative world. According to the director, he took a lot of this plot from his own childhood.

Later Vallee repeatedly turned to realistic themes. First came the historical film "Young Victoria" about the growing up of the Queen of England. And then the director filmed the famous "Dallas Buyers Club", where he artistically retells the real story of a simple Texan who was being treated for AIDS and tried to help others. The plot of this picture is taken from an article in The Dallas Morning News. And many of the heroes of his other films had real prototypes.

2. His paintings are very musical

Jean-Marc Vallee often chooses the music for his films himself. At the same time, he tries to avoid typical soundtracks - dull compositions written exclusively for the background. The director takes favorite and well-known songs that fit the plot. And in the movie "Wild" Vallee went even further. He composed the soundtrack even before he started filming the picture. And during the filming, the music itself formed the atmosphere of some scenes, and was not created during editing as an addition to the picture.

Valle's heroes often wear headphones, listen to tunes at home or in the car. For example, the music in the player of one of the heroines of "Big Little Lies" during jogging - in such scenes the director simply removes all other sounds. The same thing happens in "Sharp Objects": one character in literally every episode puts on records and in headphones disconnects from what is happening around. And the heroine Amy Adams constantly listens to old rock in her car.

By the way, Jean-Marc Vallee has excellent musical taste. For example, he is very fond of Pink Floyd - the compositions of this group sound in the films Café de Flore and C. R. A. Z. Y. Bands like the Cure and T. Rex are not uncommon.

3. His work is non-linear and unusually edited

Even when telling one story, Valle presents it in a very non-standard way. His films are often filled with flashbacks or, conversely, excerpts from what comes next. In the TV series Big Little Lies, he introduced a new kind of detective story: in the first episode, it talks about a murder, and then, throughout the season, interrogations of witnesses are sketchy. But the audience knows neither the killer nor the victim.

The film "Café de Flore" tells two parallel stories, and even very scattered in time. Part of the action takes place in modern times, where the heroine is trying to survive the separation from her beloved. And then the viewer is transferred to Paris in the late sixties, where the mother devotes all herself to caring for a child with Down syndrome. However, these separate stories always turn out to be connected. Moreover, it is almost impossible to guess what will happen in the final. But as soon as the denouement comes, it becomes clear - the tips were given from the very beginning.

4. He talks about strong women and stories of overcoming

The director is often told that he has a well-developed feminine side. Therefore, he films a lot about women, but does not turn them into superheroines who easily overcome difficulties. His characters are always alive and real, with their own fears and flaws.

Vallee addressed this topic while working on Young Victoria. The Canadian director deliberately took up the adaptation of a topic that was very far from him - the story of the Queen of England. But he was able to show her like no other - a hunted girl who is limited in everything. He later talked about a strong woman in the movie "Wild," where the heroine Reese Witherspoon single-handedly decided to walk a huge section of the Pacific hiking trail.

Vallee recalls that the lead actor Amy Adams called him to work on Sharp Objects a few years ago. But since the project did not move for a long time, he agreed to direct the series "Big Little Lies", where he was invited just by Reese Witherspoon, pleased with the result of the previous collaboration. And here he had the opportunity to work with five excellent actresses at once: in addition to Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley and Zoe Kravitz starred in the series.

5. His TV shows are films

Jean-Marc Vallee remains a filmmaker even when working for television. Both of his series look like real films, only longer and more detailed. Like David Lynch, he does not direct episodes of series, but takes on the entire project at once. At the same time, Vallee directs each episode personally, and does not pass it on to other authors, as many others do.

The director himself says that "Big Little Lies" was filmed in two stages: first, the first three episodes, then they took a short break, and then the remaining four. Vallee believes that the format of the series allows you to tell the story in more detail, without dwelling on only one main character and a couple of minor ones. Eight series of "Sharp Objects" allowed him to reveal all the numerous characters and even plunge into their past.

At the same time, Jean-Marc Vallee does not like to drag on plots. His series always have a clear ending. This is why he refused to continue working on Big Little Lies after the first season. There will be no continuation of Sharp Objects either.

6. He reveals hidden emotions and secret sides of life

A connoisseur of the work of Martin Scorsese, Steven Soderbergh and Clint Eastwood, Vallee loves to analyze the hidden emotions and experiences of a person, as well as the secrets of relationships. What usually remains behind closed doors is shown in his films in the form of vivid allegories.

In Destruction, the main character, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, seems to be almost incapable of strong emotions. But he really loves to disassemble and break everything, which is a reflection of his inner world.

In the series Big Little Lies, the place where each of the heroines lives plays an important role. Laura Dern's aggressive character lives on top of a mountain like a queen or a witch. And the heroine Nicole Kidman lives on a cliff, and the roar of the waves seems to speak of hidden family violence. At first glance, this woman has an ideal husband: handsome, passionate, adoring her children. But those around him do not even realize that in any controversial situation he simply beats his wife.

The same hidden feelings are manifested in "Sharp Objects": the heroine Amy Adams suffers from childhood complexes, which are manifested more and more when she returns to her hometown. Violence, self-destruction, emotional breakdowns - the director shows all these themes at the same time in a naturalistic and artistic way. So that everyone can feel the experiences of the heroes and, possibly, recognize themselves in difficult moments of life.

Jean-Marc Vallee shoots brightly and stylishly. His plots are gripping. And at the same time, a talented director talks about very complex and controversial topics, which are not accepted to talk about. Therefore, all his films are simply must-see.