“Miss” (M) ****

FRESH ideas can bless or corrupt the people in whose mind they erupt. French writer/director Ruben Alves had one. 

Ruben’s was a rather corny sociological and behavioural event called the beauty pageant. Namely, Miss France 2020. His approach to it was a surprise revealed to the resulting film’s viewers even before its opening credits finished. It ended with an outcome that I’m sure will not surprise you.

Nine-year-old Alexander tells his class that his ambition is to become Miss France. Laughs all round. Fifteen years later, Alexander (Alexander Wetter) lives among cheerful LGBTQ friends in a dress-making sweatshop. We know his ambition. His sexuality remains not relevant throughout.

The plot involves a bunch of attractive young nominees in the Miss France contest. Until Judgement Night, they are a band of competitors under constant observation from day-to-day chaperone Amanda (Pascale Arbillot), learning to get along with each other and the corporate organisers. 

For my money, Amanda’s listing in the credits, second only after Alexandra’s (the name Alexander adopts for contest purposes) makes a subtle but pungent statement. Amanda looks okay but subdued, not a standout beauty. Her assets run deeper than what shows on the outside. 

“Miss” makes a gentle, mildly amusing statement about exploiting women merely because of their looks, not their minds. Some of the dialogue emphasises that without being unkind. It gave me a boost after a misadventure from which I came away unscarred but slightly shocked. “Miss” helped me get over that as well as for its own sake.

I enjoyed “Miss”. I quickly formed an opinion about how it was going to end. So will you. 

At Dendy