Clean

Clean is one of those movies that’s admittedly very well made, but ultimately fails to engage the audience throughout. This is partly the fault of an overlong running time that’s packed with needless subplots, but what it really comes down to is the fact that the central character just isn’t all that intriguing. Maggie Cheung stars as Emily, a Yoko Ono/Courtney Love type who’s dating a popular and talented musician named Lee. Emily’s life is thrown into disarray when Lee dies of an overdose, and she’s consequently sent to jail for heroin possession. Six months later, Emily emerges from prison determined to get clean and start her life over so that she may be able to take care of her son – who is currently being looked after by Lee’s father (played by Nick Nolte). Director Olivier Assayas imbues Clean with the sort of jittery style that seems to be de rigeur with films of this type, though it is undeniably effective. Assayas, who also wrote the film’s screenplay, does a nice job of getting under Emily’s skin, while Cheung becomes this woman to such a degree that an Oscar nomination seems inevitable. Nolte delivers an unexpectedly subtle performance, ensuring that – at the very least – the acting keeps us somewhat interested. But Assayas’ wandering eye leads to a number of superfluous sequences, something that’s particularly true of Emily’s attempts to contact famed musician Tricky (the inclusion of this utterly pointless subplot is absolutely baffling). Yet despite its problems, Clean remains worthwhile thanks primarily to the performances and Assayas’ appropriately gritty style.

**1/2 out of ****