Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.5

The Woman in the Fifth Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov May 29, 2012

Screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, Pawel Pawlikowski's "The Woman in the Fifth" (2011) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Artificial Eye. The supplemental features on the disc include the film's original theatrical trailer and a video interview with director Pawel Pawlikowski. In English and French, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

Alone in Paris

Ethan Hawke is Tom Ricks, an American writer who arrives in Paris to reunite with his wife (Delphine Chuillot, Mozart's Sister) and take care of their daughter. But his wife has moved on and does not want to see him anymore. She is also determined to keep him as far away from their daughter as possible.

While riding the bus to the city, Tom falls asleep and someone steals his travel bag and wallet. He is told to get off the bus at the last stop – a shady district of Paris where few people speak French. A dangerous looking man (Samir Guesmi, Anthony Zimmer) gives him a room in what must have been an elegant hotel many moons ago but keeps his passport. Tom’s neighbor, an overweight man who can’t stop listening to his stereo, quickly annoys him.

Soon after, Tom visits a tiny bookstore. The owner recognizes him and immediately invites him to attend his party because he is convinced that his wife will be delighted to meet him.

Back in the hotel, the dangerous looking man offers Tom a job – if he agrees to be a night guard at a nearby underground office, he will pay him 50 Euro per night. It is an easy job. All he needs to do is let certain people in and inform certain other people if someone starts snooping around. Without thinking much, Tom takes the job.

On the following day, Tom attends the bookstore owner’s party. There he meets Margit (Kristin Scott Thomas, The English Patient), a beautiful woman who speaks six, possibly seven languages. Before the party is over, she gives him her phone number and urges him to call her.

While trying to figure out a way to get his daughter, Tom begins an affair with the beautiful woman. Then he also befriends a young Polish waitress (Joanna Kulig, Elles) who serves drinks in the shady hotel. Eventually, someone kills his neighbor and one of his lovers disappears.

Based on Douglas Kennedy’s novel, Polish director Pawel Pawlikowski’s The Woman in the Fifth reminds a lot about Michael Haneke’s Hidden - it builds an incredibly tense atmosphere and eventually presents the viewer with a number of fascinating scenarios that could tie its loose ends.

Hawke’s protagonist is a man whose world slowly begins to disintegrate after he arrives in Paris. Initially, the dilemmas he faces are conventional and his reactions understandable. But as the film progresses, it seems like he crosses into a parallel reality and his actions become unpredictable. Naturally, while the first half of the film very much looks and feels like a standard drama, the second half has all the key characteristics of a supernatural thriller.

Hawke is outstanding as the disillusioned American writer who suddenly loses control of his life. It is difficult to explain precisely why, but this is one of those films where the actor’s face is simply perfect for the drama and tense atmosphere. Unsurprisingly, the camera spends a great deal of time studying it. Scott Thomas is also terrific as the mysterious woman who enters the writer’s world and then disappears without a trace.

The film was lensed by cinematographer Ryszard Lenczewski, who also collaborated with Pawlikowski on his Last Resort and the enormously beautiful My Summer of Love.

The Woman in the Fifth Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.86:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Pawel Pawlikowski's The Woman in the Fifth arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Artificial Eye.

The high-definition transfer is very strong. In fact, the only small issue I could spot is a bit of banding that pops up early into the film. Clarity and detail are outstanding - Ryszard Lenczewski's camerawork is exceptional and the various unique close-ups, for instance, look terrific. The strong transfer also makes it easy to appreciate the unique use of natural light and color. There are no traces of post-production lab tinkering (sharpening, contrast boosting). There are no serious stability or compression issues to report in this review either. Finally, when blown through a digital projector the film remains tight around the edges and conveys very pleasing fluidity. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free PS3 or SA in order to access its content).

The Woman in the Fifth Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English Dolby Digital 5.1 (with portions of French, Polish, and Arabic). For the record, Artificial Eye have provided optional English subtitles for the main feature. However, they do not appear when English is spoken.

The strong lossless audio track reminded me a lot about the one from Studio Canal's release of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. It does not have the type of intensity some of the best lossless tracks have, but it has a very impressive range of nuanced dynamics that highlight all sorts of different audio enhancements that effectively transform the entire film. Especially during the second half of the film the sound design is terrific. The dialog is consistently crisp, clean, and very easy to follow. Also, there are no distortions or audio dropouts to report in this review.

The Woman in the Fifth Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - original trailer for The Woman in the Fifth. In English and French, with imposed English subtitles where necessary. (2 min, 1080p).

• Interview - in this video interview, director Pawel Pawlikowski discusses the unique structure and themes of The Woman in the Fifth, some of the directors that have inspired him to shoot films (Akira Kurosawa), the relationship between good material and good cast that needs to occur for him to feel comfortable shooting a film, etc. In English, not subtitled. (13 min, PAL).

The Woman in the Fifth Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Last year, I attended a festival screening of The Woman in the Fifth and was enormously impressed with it. The film has a very unique style and flow that I found to be most appropriate for the type of story it tells - which actually has more to do with the atmosphere it builds and sustains rather than the main protagonists and their dilemmas. However, admittedly, one has to be in a certain state of mind to fully appreciate it. As usual, Artificial Eye's presentation is excellent. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.