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Leos Carax is not really that productive when it comes to his feature film output. So far, the director has made just half a dozen films in a career that has spanned almost 30 years. Accordingly, it's always a long wait before there's any new output from the Frenchman. There were 13 years between "Pola X" and "Holy Motors. Nine years later, "Annette" followed last year with a clear delay. But with the notoriously idiosyncratic filmmaker, you can always look forward to his works being something special. Works that you may not always fully understand, but that are all the more unforgettable for it. And that's also true of his latest baby, with which he breaks some new ground while remaining unmistakably different.

One important difference: With "Annette" he presents his long-awaited English-language debut, which also brings new possibilities for the cast. Stars have, of course, appeared repeatedly in Carax's films before, most notably the two great French actresses Juliette Binoche and Catherine Deneuve. This illustrious round is extended by Marion Cotillard and Adam Driver. However, anyone who thinks that the auteur filmmaker is aiming for the mainstream is mistaken. Rather, he remains true to his image and shot with the story of a struggling celebrity couple a drama that is difficult to digest in more ways than one.

The musical gets off to a swinging start when the two dance and sing their way through the city, with more and more people joining them along the way. This is no "West Side Story", but it's as close to classic entertainment as you'd ever expect Carax to get. But this impression is deceptive. There is singing again and again later. In fact, there is relatively little dialogue, which is especially noticeable in a film with a running time of about 140 minutes. But a song says more than a thousand words. Sometimes at least. In these songs, however, Annette does not say that everything is all great and romantic, as one often knows from such musicals. Rather, it is shown here in detail how a marriage increasingly falls apart.

Henry is largely responsible for this. Early on, he is described as a polarizing narcissist, who loves to provoke, but in doing so depends on the attention of others - which is why his career collapse has terrible consequences. An egocentric who reveals his abysses with humor and at the same time is consumed by self-hatred. Such a person is naturally less likeable. But fascinating: The film is an impressively acted portrait, combined with socio-critical elements. Whether it's sensationalist media, the public's claims of ownership or even #MeToo, the whirlpool of the failing couple flashes up rows of ugly elements.

"Annette" combines these references to abysses of the real world with some surreal elements, as one is used to with Carax. Too much should not be known about it in advance, as some of the events are so unexpected that it would be a shame to anticipate them - although it is not only the "what" that matters, but also the "how". Even for that, the musical drama is worth watching, you will hardly find anything comparable in this genre. It is a pity, however, that the character of Ann gets lost a bit in the ego trip and too rarely gets the opportunity to be more than the woman at his side. In addition, the long running time becomes noticeable at some point. On the other hand, there are numerous songs worth listening to, which go back to the brothers Ron and Russell Mael, who together form the duo Sparks and worked on the script together with the director. Even if "beautiful" songs are rather scarce in this, the gloomy direction is maintained: The music contributes to the fact that the film is simultaneously insane and deeply sad.