Spirit of Ecstasy

Directed by Héléna Klotz, Spirit of Ecstasy follows Claire Pommet’s Jeanne as she attempts to escape her less-than-successful existence by becoming a high-powered financial analyst under a mysterious boss (Sofiane Zermani). It’s a fairly familiar premise that’s employed to erratic yet predominantly compelling effect by Klotz, as the filmmaker, armed with a script written alongside Noé Debré and Emily Barnett, delivers a slow-moving character study that benefits substantially from Pommet’s striking, memorable turn as the almost inscrutable protagonist – with the movie’s opening stretch, as a result, certainly fair more attention-grabbing and engrossing than one might’ve anticipated. There’s little doubt, then, that Spirit of Ecstasy‘s overall impact is affected by a deliberate, hit-and-miss midsection that contains a small handful of odd digressions (eg Jeanne meets with a cold businesswoman), which, in turn, ensures that the picture’s second half can’t help but boast a comparatively meandering and unfocused feel. By the time the satisfying third act rolls around, with the impact of this stretch heightened by a stirring sequence featuring Mathieu Amalric, Spirit of Ecstasy has cemented its place as an effective drama that contains a thoroughly impressive central performance at its core.

**1/2 out of ****