NewsLos Angeles TimesOctober 30, 2026Los Angeles County
Review: Marie Kreutzer's film "Gentle Monster" explores family trauma and women's emotional labor
Photo: Los Angeles Times
A review of Austrian filmmaker Marie Kreutzer's drama "Gentle Monster" details a story where a concert pianist's life shatters after police investigate her husband for alleged involvement in child pornography. Concurrently, the film follows a police investigator dealing with her aging father's misconduct while trying to retain his caregiver, highlighting broader themes of societal expectations placed on women.
Read the full story at Los Angeles TimesWhy It Matters
The article evaluates a cinematic work addressing sexual violence investigations and family trauma, discussing how the narrative portrays the societal burdens placed on women as caregivers and partners.
Key Facts
- Marie Kreutzer directed the film "Gentle Monster", which centers on a concert pianist whose husband is accused of storing and sharing child pornography.
- Léa Seydoux stars as Lucy, a musician whose avant-garde live performances incorporate covers of love songs written by men.
- Police arrive unannounced at the home of Lucy and Philip to confiscate computers and hard drives.
- Lucy discovers the nature of the allegations when visiting the second floor of the police station, which houses the crime unit specializing in sexualized violence against children.
- Following the incident, Lucy packs a bag and moves with her son Johnny to live with her mother Eloise without explaining why she left Philip.
- The film features a parallel storyline involving Elsa, a police investigator who cares for her aging, cognitively declining father, Hermann.
- Hermann's live-in nurse, Natalia, reports that Hermann tried to sexually assault her, placing Elsa in a difficult bind regarding her father's care.
- The review notes that the film explores broader themes concerning the emotional labor and caregiving burdens disproportionately forced upon women.
Who's Mentioned
PersonEloise“Fictional character, Lucy's mother who is a musician.”PersonLucy“Fictional character, a concert pianist whose husband is investigated by police.”PersonNatalia“Fictional character, Hermann's live-in nurse.”PersonVicky Krieps“Actor who starred in Kreutzer's 2022 drama "Corsage".”PersonMarie Kreutzer“Filmmaker and director of "Gentle Monster" and "Corsage".”PersonHermann“Fictional character, Elsa's aging father experiencing cognitive decline.”PersonPatrycja Ziółkowska“Actor who plays Natalia.”PersonSylvester Groth“Actor who plays Hermann.”PersonPhilip“Fictional character, Lucy's husband accused of storing and sharing child pornogr”PersonJohnny“Fictional character, the pre-tween son of Lucy and Philip.”PersonLéa Seydoux“Actor who plays the lead character Lucy in the film.”PersonElsa“Fictional character, a police investigator leading the case and caring for her f”PersonJella Haase“Actor who plays Elsa.”PersonLaurence Rupp“Actor who plays Philip.”PersonMalo Blanchet“Actor who plays Johnny.”PersonCatherine Deneuve“Actor who plays Eloise.”PersonBryan Adams“Musician who wrote "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You".”