Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

Robert Lepage, an actor and writer turned director, whose previous work showed great promise, has done wonders in this uneven, but interesting take on the life of two brothers in Quebec City, where he sets this multi layered story.The film mixes eras, as the original story dates back to the 50s when a young woman, of a working class and devout Catholic family, finds herself pregnant under the most mysterious circumstances. Although our suspicions point in one direction, nothing is completely black and white.The story concludes in the 80s as Pierre, who had been away in China, returns home to attend his father's funeral. Pierre's brother, Marc, never comes. Pierre finds out, to his horror, about Marc's secret life and meets the man who holds the key to the mystery at the hotel where he is working. Raymond Massicotte, knows more than he wants to tell.The other element in the film is a vignette about Alfred Hitchcock. The director had gone to scout locations and do local casting for his own "I Confess", which in a way, parallels the action of this movie. This part is not completely as interesting, and it's somehow distracting from the other narratives.Lothaire Blutheau, one of the best Canadian actors, whose work we have admired for a long time, is seen as Pierre, in a great performance. Pierre Goyette plays Marc with sincerity and high intensity. Jean-Louis Millette has some excellent moments as Raymond Massicotte. Kristin Scott Thomas is seen as Hitchcock's assistant.Robert Lepage directed with an eye for detail in this involving drama. The film is worth viewing because it shows Mr. Lepage in great form. Sacha Puttman's background music plays well with the action. Alain Dostie's cinematography captures all the darkness in the story.

The trendy camera work (that in fact uses good old recipes, i.e. no creativity involved whatsoever) can't make up for the shallow characters, the overall bad acting and the story line that is as boring as the script. Some scene are in fact so badly directed that they end up being somewhat comical (check the scene when the police is coming around the swimming pool. Could have been a Charli Chaplin flick). The sad thing is that Hitchcok is called upon to try to give some height to the scenario. To no avail. It just does not work. If you liked the "Déclin de l'Empire américain", you will probably enjoy it though. Same kind of crap. With the typical Quebecois theatrical repertoire of "Chris", "Tabarnac" and "Ostie" trumpeted by uninspired and uninspiring actors who won't make you believe one second they could actually exist. If this is considered the best of the Quebecois cinéma, this is pretty bad news for the "7e art" in this part of the World.

I work in a video store, and when people ask me if I know a great movie, I am inclined to recommend Le Confessional. This film has got it all: drama, comedy, sex and mystery. Lepage has written an amazing screenplay, which is greatly compelling for the viewer. As a film student, I was also very appealed by the visual aesthetics of Le Confessional. Lepage has used a lot of color symbolism, which is truly eye candy. On the downside, the story is at times confusing, namely because of the two different time frames, but hey, it's Canadian. Overall, I highly appreciated this film and I think you should see it.

A complicated family past haunts two brothers in search of the truth. Via flashbacks we meet the family in turmoil, coincided with the making of Alfred Hitchcock's I CONFESS. With the creative use of past and present interweaved, we slowly find the truth that has been sitting under our noses at all times. Very clever and a very effective piece of cinema story telling.