"So, may we start?"
Annette is a 2021 musical film directed by Leos Carax (in his English-language debut), with a screenplay by Ron Mael and Russell Mael of Sparks, and Carax, from an original story, music and songs by the band.
The plot follows a stand-up comedian, Henry McHenry (Adam Driver), and his opera singer wife, Ann Defrasnoux (Marion Cotillard), and how their lives are changed when they have their first child.
This film provides examples of:
- Angry Mob Song: "Six Women Have Come Forward" and "You Used to Laugh."
- Animal Motifs: Monkeys and apes, such as Annette's plush monkey, a room of plush gorillas, and Henry's stand-up routine, Ape of God.
- Arc Words: Dying and bowing.
- Berserk Button: Hearing Annette play "We Love Each Other So Much" on the piano is enough to send (admittedly, very drunk) Henry into a homicidal rage.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: The beginning of the film and its opening number, "So May We Start," annihilates it, featuring the cast and crew directly addressing the audience out-of-character and asking them to pay attention.
- Calling the Old Man Out: Annette towards Henry near the end of the film.
- Cerebus Callback: The song "We Love Each Other So Much," which Ann and Henry sings early on in the film is revealed to be a song The Accompanist created for Ann, during their affair. When Annette plays the instrumental version of it on her piano, that sets Henry down a path that lead to The Accompanist's death.
- Child Popstar: Henry turns Annette into one.
- Child Prodigy: After Ann's death, Annette is revealed to be able to sing opera prodigiously when moonlight hits her face.
- Cluster F-Bomb: "You Used to Laugh."Fuck off, fuck off, fuck outta here!
- Color Motif: Henry is associated with the color green (clothing, accessories, the lighting and set design in his stand-up show, his motorcycle helmet), suggesting his jealousy over Ann's success.
- Cosmic Motifs: Much of Annette's baby wear and bedroom decor features the moon and stars.
- Creator Cameo: Ron and Russell Mael, along with director Leos Carax are in the opening as themselves before the former two appear again as a pair of airline pilots.
- Crowd Song: The audience at Henry's stand-up routines frequently engages in them using a Call-and-Response Song format.
- Downer Ending: If you view a movie from Protagonist-Centered Morality, by the end of the movie, Henry's career is in tatters and he's found guilty of killing both Ann and The Accompanist, while Annette comes back to tell him she's given up her career and is never talking to him again, leaving him completely alone. Though, if you find Henry completely unsympathetic it could be seen as Bittersweet Ending for Annette (more of sweet then bitter) since she finally gets to make decisions for herself and no longer is a puppet for either of her parents.
- Dreaming the Truth: Ann has one where six of Henry's exes come forward to accuse him of Domestic Abuse, especially a vicious temper. Ends up becoming Dreaming of Things to Come when he's indirectly involved in her death and directly in The Accompanist's death. The movie does not delve into any of Henry's past relationships.
- Dude, Not Funny!: Henry's audience is revolted by his routine describing how he killed his wife by tickling her.Henry: So why did I become a comedian?
Audience: You're not! You're not! Not Any More! Asshole! Asshole! Sick! Sick! - Idiot Ball: The Accompanist accepts Henry's offer to "talk" about his relationship with Ann and the fact that he might be Annette's father—at night, outside, by the pool, while Henry is drunk. It's a fatal mistake.
- Jukebox Musical: While most songs are original, there are a few allusions to and uses of older Sparks songs such as "Rock, Rock, Rock", "Thanks But No Thanks", "Bon Voyage", and "The Calm Before the Opera." Henry also directly quotes a passage from Tom Lehrer's song "National Brotherhood Week" in the first performance we see of Ape of God.
- Let's Duet: "We Love Each Other So Much," overlapping with Silly Love Songs, among a few other duets between Henry and Ann.
- Lunacy: Annette's incredible singing talent is activated by moonlight, real or artificial.
- Mama's Baby, Papa's Maybe: The Accompanist suggests that there's a small chance he may be Annette's father, having dated Ann just before she met Henry. He probably shouldn't have said anything.
- Never My Fault: Henry's sentiment towards his audience during "You used to laugh" when they don't take kindly to his routine.What's your problem? What's your fucking problem?
It's your problem! Fuck, it's not my problem!
It's your problem! Your fucking problem! - No Name Given: Simon Helberg's character is credited as The Accompanist.
- Orbital Shot: A particularly impressive one as The Accompanist addresses the viewer with some exposition while conducting an orchestra.
- Quarreling Song: "Let's Waltz in the Storm!".
- Repetitive Name: The male lead is named Henry McHenry.
- Self-Deprecation: On a meta level in "So May We Start":The authors are here, so let's not show disdain
The authors are here, and they're a little vain - Wham Line: Annette drops this bombshell during a live performance:"Daddy kills people."
