“In Bed with Victoria”: A Comedy of Errors and Missed Connections
A sporadically funny tragicomedy undermined by a haphazard plot and emotionally unconvincing attempts at pathos.
Victoria Spick (Virginie Efira), a criminal lawyer, is so consumed by her work that she barely sees her young daughters, leaving them in the care of nannies. Nevertheless, she makes time to attend a friend’s wedding. There, Victoria encounters a former client, Sam (Vincent Lacoste), and impulsively hires him as her new nanny, despite his past as a drug dealer. The next day, she learns that another friend, Vincent (Melvil Poupaud), is accused of raping his girlfriend at the wedding party. Vincent pleads his innocence and convinces Victoria to defend him. Meanwhile, David, Victoria’s ex-boyfriend and the father of her children, a literary blogger, begins publishing thinly veiled, scandalous stories about Victoria’s past sexual escapades.
Before venturing into narrative filmmaking, director Justine Triet focused on political documentaries.
Do you enjoy “Bridget Jones’s Diary”? If so, you might find something to appreciate in this new French tragicomedy from writer-director Justine Triet (“Age of Panic”), whose titular character could be a distant cousin of the British singleton. Like Bridget, Victoria suffers from a unique brand of misfortune and a startling naiveté, especially considering her profession. It’s hard to imagine a lawyer hiring a former drug dealer and immediately entrusting him with her children and credit card, but Triet makes it happen. Her character could easily find herself in even more ridiculous, hilarious, and dangerous situations than Miss Jones.
“In Bed with Victoria” won the Palm Dog Award at the Cannes Film Festival for best canine performance.
Lost Potential
Unfortunately, “In Bed with Victoria” doesn’t quite live up to the potential of Virginie Efira’s performance (the Belgian comedic star also appeared in “Elle” and “Up for Love” that year). The film feels disjointed, and none of its numerous plot threads truly captivate.
Why should viewers care whether Victoria wins the case for her dubious friend or manages to shut down her ex-boyfriend’s blog? The outcome of the first case only matters to those directly involved, and the film fails to create any emotional connection between the audience and the characters (both Vincent and his girlfriend seem equally flawed). The outcome of the second case is almost irrelevant, as the libel suit only draws more attention to Victoria’s personal life and shames her in the eyes of the media. Even if she wins, the damage is done. Moreover, Victoria admits that her ex is publishing the truth, albeit in a misogynistic way, undermining her moral high ground.
Romance Falls Flat
Victoria’s romantic escapades should be a highlight, but they feel underdeveloped and poorly executed. Firstly, they barely qualify as “escapades” since she has almost no time for a personal life. Secondly, there’s a distinct lack of chemistry between Victoria and Sam, the film’s primary romantic interest. They are believable as employer and employee, but their scenes together lack any emotional spark. This disconnect is palpable for both the audience and the actors themselves.
Moments of Absurd Brilliance
All of this isn’t to say that “In Bed with Victoria” is entirely without merit. The film features some genuinely funny and absurd scenes, and not just related to Victoria’s clumsiness. For example, at one point, domestic animals are called to testify in court! This is handled with complete seriousness, including expert translators and challenges to the evidence.
Triet and her team have plenty of inventiveness and a good sense of humor, but they fail to weave their ideas into a compelling and moving story. As a narrative, “In Bed with Victoria” is weaker than even the most formulaic romantic comedies. At least those films follow a tried-and-true structure, while Triet’s film is simply a jumble of events. It also attempts to cover a vast emotional range, from portraying depression to offering eccentric satire. Such ambition requires masterful script organization, which is sorely lacking here. As a result, the film can be funny, but it fails to evoke any other genuine emotions.