 A FilmExposed Film Review |
 Dir: Sam Garbarski, 2007, Belgium/Luxembourg/UK/France/Germany, 103mins
Cast: Marianne Faithfull, Dorka Gryllus, Miki Manojlovic , Jenny Agutter
In the grand British tradition of the ‘downtrodden person(s) turning to sex industry in order to raise funds, whilst at the same time restoring much needed dignity’ drama (a commercially winning formula producers of The Full Monty (1997) and Calendar Girls (2003), will tell you) Irina Palm tells the story of Maggie (Faithfull), a self confessed middle aged frump, who quite literally turns her hand to adult entertainment in order to fund a potentially life saving trip to Australia for her dying grandson. Already stripped of equity and rejected by loan companies and employment agencies alike, a chance visit to Soho reveals to Maggie the opportunity to put her supple fleshy palm d'ors to use in one of the areas many sex clubs. Assuming the name Irina Palm, Maggie soon becomes a hand job queen - or “wanking widow” as she prefers - dealing out manual relief to patrons who offer themselves through a purpose built glory hole. Under the guidance of club owner Miki and seasoned wanker Luisa, Maggie proves a dab hand so to speak, and before long Irina is the toast of Berwick Street and its environs.
However Irina Palm isn't quite the knock about farce the premise would suggest - working the sex industry is evidently no joke, and director Sam Garbarski is keen to show the grim reality for what it is, with Christophe Beaucarne’s grungy photography and the reverb heavy score by Ghinzu underlining the sincerity of the tale. When the jokes do come they are understandably of a broad nature, with an extended gag about Maggie's repetitive strain injury (penis elbow) establishing the tone. Such shifts in tenor destabilise the film somewhat and we are never quite sure whether we are watching a life affirming comedy or a Dirty Pretty Things (2002) style drama.
Sadly, Maggie's dexterous talent is prudently concealed from view with strategically placed objects, but the lifelike squelching sounds leave little to the imagination (special credit here should go to the sound designers Pascal Jasmes and Ingrid Ralet.) Faithfull's performance as the put upon widow is perhaps a little one note, but it is hard not to warm to her character, and most will be on Maggie’s side when it comes to the final show down with her snooty, hypocritical, bridge-playing chums (including an underused Jenny Agutter). Dorka Gryllus as the immigrant sex worker who takes Maggie under her wing makes the most of her role, and Kusterica favourite Miki Manojlovic proves as solid as always playing the sleazy proprietor. Once Maggie’s moneymaking scheme is out in the open, her son’s rather hysterical (not to mention ungrateful) reaction rings the only real false note.
Irina Palm began life as a Belgian production and sometimes the script seems to suffer in translation. But all in all the film feels genuine in its crowd-pleasing intention, and whilst it may all be about as transgressive as an episode of Midsomer Murders, Garbarski’s film, like his central character, deftly manages to get the job done. |
