Roma elastica

Cotillard carries a film that’s a take-it-or-leave-it proposition: Either you thrive in its excesses and cinematic references, or, like this critic, eventually grow weary of a guilty pleasure without much substance.

Taken individually, these shorts might have been inspired standalone experiences. Assembled into a feature, they’re a chore.

Never trying for cogency, “Roma Elastica” is a kaleidoscope of riffs and references, playing out less as a direct narrative than as an IYKYK meme, or a neural-network prompt to cross Lucio Fulci with syphilitic late Fellini.

This is a film about an actress questioning herself, perhaps out of desperation, for refusing to die with dignity. Now, what's interesting is that Bertrand Mandico refers to both physical and artistic dignity. [Full review in Spanish]