Simone

It's a great film not because it has a perfectly beautiful image there; every single word of tag lines, monologues and dialogues is meaningful. Let's taste the story following some of those masterpieces.

Viktor's confessions to his ex-wife Elaine outlined the setting of the story:

"Do you know why I, Viktor Taransky, two-time Academy Award nominated director overseeing the most cherished movie project of my career, am walking around with a pocketful of cherry Mike & Ike's?...It is because Miss Nicola Anders, supermodel with a SAG card God's gift to cinema, has it written into her contract that all cherry Mike & Ike's be removed from her candy dish along with strict instructions that any room she walks into should have seven packs of cigarettes waiting for her three of them opened, that there be a personal jacuzzi within eighty paces of her dressing room, and that any time she travels, her nanny must fly with her first class."

"We used to decide who would play what role. We told them what to wear, what to say, who to date. When they were under contract, we could change their names if we wanted to -- more than once!"

This film speaks of the Director Andrew's own voice; it's a snapshot of the dominance of movie stars over filmmakers and of the blind adoration of fans to movie stars.

Then Viktor met Hank.

VIKTOR: I don't know anything about computers.
HANK: That's why you're so perfect. You have something I don't have...An eye -- for performance...You and me, art and science...we are the perfect marriage.

Hank left Viktor a gift that changed Viktor's career and life and Viktor made Hank's wish come true. The gift was some computer codes that invented a perfect fake person Simone to help Viktor re-cast the almost done film when the leading actress mentioned above walked away.

What did this change bring to Viktor? Movie fans' insane adoration for the non-existent fake actress Simone. This was not the attention Viktor expected, as what Elaine said, "This woman -- she controls your destiny."

Viktor made a toughest decision to deconstruct Simone. Here comes the most touching and sad scene:

Viktor's monologue:

"It's the only way, Simone. If it's any consolation, you're going to live on in the public's heart like all the other tragic figures that went before their time. There's no love like posthumous love."

"It's a phoney-baloney world. The women are surgically enhanced, the athletes are on steroids, the singers are lip-syncing if they're even singing at all, the news is entertainment, the politicians are bought and paid for -- we're living one big lie...You're more authentic than the people who adore you...It wasn't that the artists had no respect for the art. They had no respect for me. Someone like you, you have so much love showered on you -- I just wanted to feel one tiny drop on my face...Here I've been trying to convince the world that you exist, but I was really trying to convince them that I exist. It's not that you aren't human, Simone, it's that I am."

The image of Simone's face gradually begins to deconstruct -- pixel by pixel -- as the virus takes hold.

Now comes our discussion. Who is more important, the director or the actress? I think everyone is important. As what Elaine said, "it was a team effort."

IMHO, A good story from a novelist and a good filmmaker play more significant roles. A meaningful story will not only entertain audiences but also inspire them. Based on the depth of the roles and the performance audiences will be impressed by good performers. They are important when their performance is impressive. However without a meaningful story and without the integrated expression of the story a super movie star's performance will only be at entertainment level.

e.g. the other film I reviewed, called "the favorite game" I almost don't remember the actors and actresses. For me, other actors and actresses can also play their roles. The reason why they are not too outstanding is probably because their mother tongue is French and in the movie they have to speak English, whatsoever. But this film is still marvellous, the integrity, the meaning of the story and the scene.

Also, in another film I reviewed, called "Femme Fatale", the leading actress Rebecca's performance is absolutely excellent, however, in "Simone" she played a minor role as Simone's latest stand-in and decoy. She is not noticed by audiences at all but she is a good actress. Director made her minor then she is. No matter how superior her performance could be, she didn't have a stage in "Simone" to show. What if she played Simone's role? I think she could also be packaged like an angel.

There are also other part of the film "Simone" maybe worth your attention.

When Viktor wondered why every fan wanted to see Simone in person while his daughter Lainey never asked, Lainey said, "I love her but that doesn't mean I need to meet her...What's Simone going to say to a fourteen-year-old anyhow? She's going to be polite because you're my father but we're not suddenly going to become friends -- we have nothing in common...Anyhow, she gets more beautiful in my head every day. Why kill the dream? What do they say, 'don't get too close to your idols, they always disappoint you'." She has refreshing and wise thoughts compared with those insane movie star fans, what about you?