The rain clouds outside the Palais might have dampened some spirits at the opening night film of the 77th Cannes Film Festival. Or maybe it was the movie itself.
“The Second Act,” Quentin Dupieux‘s talky French comedy about the making of the first movie directed by AI, mustered a lukewarm 3.5-minute standing ovation on Tuesday night in Cannes. Dupieux was on hand for the premiere, as was its French cast comprising Léa Seydoux, Louis Garrel, Vincent Lindon and Raphaël Quenard.
In the meta film, the four actors play actors making a romantic comedy they know is pointless. To make matters worse, Florence (Seydoux) wants to take things to the next level with David (Garrel), but he is no longer attracted to her and tries to pawn her off on his friend Willy (Quenard).
The film, which opened in France on the same day as its Cannes debut, has received mixed reviews. PvNew‘s Peter Debruge wrote that “practically every scene overstays its welcome, including the otherwise smart final shot. Dupieux’s strategy seems to be flipping or repeating certain punchlines for fresh effect, which is fine for a while, until you realize that neither ‘The Second Act’ nor those second-degree readings have much to say.”
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Dupieux’s film “Deerskin” previously opened the Directors Fortnight branch of the Cannes Film Festival in 2019. The French director also premiered the first 13 minutes of his film “Wrong Cops” at its 2012 edition. “The Second Act” is playing in this year’s out of competition section.
A mainstay of French film, Seydoux has gained popularity stateside as a Bond girl in 2015’s “Spectre,” and most recently featured as Lady Margot in Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part Two.” Her breakthrough role in “Blue Is the Warmest Color” (2013) earned her a best actress award at Cannes Film Festival, and the film also won the prestigious Palme d’Or. Seydoux’s notable previous Cannes appearances include to premiere Christophe Honoré’s “The Beautiful Person” in 2009, which won her the Chopard Award for best upcoming actress; to debut Yorgos Lanthimos’ “The Lobster” in 2015, which won the jury prize; and to serve on the jury during 2018’s edition. She was most recently at the fest in 2022 for David Cronenberg’s “Crimes of the Future.”
