Maiwenn's My King is a tale of destructive passion, a relationship drama that is as thoughtful and honest as it is electric and toxic, deconstructing humanities' penchant for the virulent cocktail of love, passion, and desire. The film is told through the female character of Tony, opening with a scene that finds her admitted to a rehabilitation center after a serious ski accident. With a badly damaged knee and a long rehab schedule ahead of her, Tony finds herself weak and completely dependent on the staff of the facility, triggering her to reflect on her turbulent and passion-soaked relationship with Georgio. Featuring a narrative that oscillates between Tony's present struggles and her past failings with Georgio, My King is a film told entirely from the perspective of Tony, revealing a woman who was psychologically abused and tormented. With that in mind, what makes My King so impressive how it shows little interest in actually demonizing Georgio, focusing instead on attempting to understand the complexities of emotional insecurity, a film that almost screams "we are all emotional animals" at the top of its lungs, as we watch the well-performed torment. These characters are very passionate at first, fully in what one may perceive is love but as the film progresses the toxicity of their relationship begins to show itself, with Georgio's need to retain his individuality running head-on into the wall of love. The mere concept of falling in love is in complete conflict with humanities' penchant for individual freedom, something which Georgio cannot go one without. Georgio's betrayal of love only encourages an authoritarian presence within, with a few scenes throughout My King feeling uneasy, showing a man who simply won't compromise. His desire to hide his weaknesses and fill his role as the tough masculine male is a central component to his psychological abuse, as Georgio hides his addictions and flaws from his lover and wife. Tony and Georgio's passion is what blinds them from the realities of their situation, and the narrative of My King gets more disheartening as it continues, with their attempts to stay together, keep the family together, causing even more damage to the emotional core of Tony. This is a story of healing for the character of Tony, a woman who is attempting to rebuild her psyche after years of psychological abuse fostered countless insecurities. Tony sacrifices as much as possible in an attempt to regain their intense early passion, but it becomes clear that Georgio is unwilling to accept how important personal sacrifice is for the sake of any healthy relationship. Maiwann, the director, puts the juxtaposition between Tony's present and her past to good use, with the painful, monotonous physical therapy coming to symbolize her flawed relationship with Cassel, one of constant pain that she can't seem to escape. Towards the end of the film, Tony's physical therapy becomes more a symbol of her long path to recovery, with Maiwann's My King proving itself as an emotionally charged relationship drama that is well-performed and well crafted.
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June 2023
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