L'Appolonide (Souvenirs de la Maison Close)

#28

L'Appolonide (Souvenirs de la Maison Close) (2011)

by Bertrand Bonello

★★★☆☆

Getting inside the elegant Parisian brothel in L'Appolonide is a unique experience, but dull. As much as I like the Joker lady and the doll prostitute, this stylistic film fails to show me its clear view on the19th century prostitution versus modern sex trade, as it is shown at the very end of the film. While the characters are interesting and the atmospheric details are sensual, L'Appolonide gives no emotional feeling and those lovely ladies' bare skins are merely just exposed flesh.