Perfectly timed for the #MeToo era comes a corporate drama about an executive headhunted to become the first French woman to head a major French company, one of the CAC40 (the French equivalent of the Dow Jones).
Emmanuelle Devos stars as Emmanuelle Blachey, a 40-something mother, wife and executive ata renewable energy company. Blachey is comfortable on an offshore wind turbine rig at sea, in the boardroom, and wooing her Chinese clients with fluent Mandarin at a Parisian restaurant. And yet - and this is what Devos gets exactly right - she's still much like the rest of us, and needs to deal with her vulnerability and flaws.
Blachey's resolve is tested when she's approached by a group of influential female lobbyists, led by the formidable Adrienne (Francine Berge), to run for CEO at France's water company. Blachey agrees after careful consideration to put herself forward as a candidate - a decision which changes her life, and everyone else involved in her bid.
Dirty secrets are revealed and blackmail and sabotage quickly become day-to-day events; even Blachey's rather unsupportive husband feels the heat generated by her unprecedented move. PR gurus, lobbyists and their henchmen quickly descend - generating enough characters, themes and dramas to fill a miniseries.
If you can keep up with the multitude of key movers and shakers - especially in the middle act when it loses some of its narrative punch - Number One is almost a corporate world thriller. It's a glimpse into a world in which only a select few participate, and thank goodness - it may be filled with tasteful apartments and exclusive clubs but the behaviour of the powerful is far from classy.
This is a film about misogyny, equality and diversity; but the female roles are better written and the actresses make the most of it. Devos alone makes Number One worth watching.
Cast: Emmanuelle Devos, Suzanne Clement Director: Tonie Marshall Running Time: 110 mins Rating: M (Offensive language) Verdict: Stylish French corporate drama.
