Dirty Like - An Angel -catherine Breillat- 1991- Fixed
Basic Information
- Original Title: Sale comme un ange
- Director: Catherine Breillat
- Writer: Catherine Breillat (based on her own novel)
- Release Year: 1991
- Country: France
- Language: French
- Genre: Drama / Erotic Thriller / Psychological Drama
- Runtime: 100 minutes (approx.)
Breillat's cinematic style is characterized by its unflinching realism, which is balanced by a deep empathy for her characters. The film's use of location shooting, natural lighting, and handheld camera work creates a sense of intimacy and immediacy, drawing the viewer into Marie's world.
Recommendation: Best appreciated by those familiar with Breillat’s themes; ideal for analysis in courses on feminist film theory, the deconstruction of film noir, or European art cinema of the 1990s. Dirty Like an Angel -Catherine Breillat- 1991-
Rating: 4.5/5
The film follows Georges (Claude Brasseur), a middle-aged, cynical policeman, and Manon (Lio), the wife of a petty criminal he is investigating. Their connection is not built on romance, but on a visceral, almost violent mutual attraction that defies social and moral logic. 🧠 Key Themes The Subversion of the Muse Manon is the "Angel" of the title. Basic Information
Dirty Like an Angel (1991), directed by Catherine Breillat, is a French drama blending "policier" genre tropes with exploration of power dynamics, sexuality, and transgression. The film follows a jaded detective, Georges (Claude Brasseur), whose life intersects with a manipulative, evolving female character, Barbara (Lio), navigating themes of corruption and shifting agency. For a deeper look, check Slant Magazine's review The Cinematheque The Cinematheque / Dirty Like an Angel Original Title: Sale comme un ange Director: Catherine
, Barbara uses the affair to achieve a state of "disillusioned liberation," emerging from the encounter more sure of herself than the men who thought they were using her. Cinematic Style
Georges manipulates Didier into a long-term surveillance assignment to clear the path for a torrid and manipulative affair with Barbara. Key Themes and Analysis