Mrs. Hyde
2018 · Directed by Serge Bozon
Original language: French
- fantasy
- comedy
The story
Mrs. Géquil is an eccentric teacher despised by her colleagues and students. On a stormy night, she is struck by lightning and faints. When she wakes up, she feels different. Will she now be able to keep the powerful and dangerous Mrs. Hyde contained?
What it’s like
Mrs. Hyde is a film of tight interiors and flat, overcast Parisian suburban light: fluorescent-lit classrooms, drab corridors, rain-streaked windows, and a palette of muted greys, beige and washed-out greens that the sudden storm and its odd colour shifts punctuate. Director Serge Bozon favours stiff, deliberate framing and long takes that hold on faces and empty spaces, with a score of slightly off-kilter electronic pulses and synthetic drones that makes ordinary school life feel faintly uncanny. The texture is clean digital, with a deadpan, slightly absurd comedic register that tips into eerie surrealism. Its vibe is dry, odd and melancholic, with a streak of mischief: a good fit for a grey weekend, a late-night watch alone, or anyone wanting something quirky rather than frightening. Pacing is unhurried and often awkward on purpose, and the emotional arc follows a lonely, overlooked teacher gradually gaining confidence and connection, with some tender moments among the strangeness. Violence is minimal and comic, mostly mild shoving and tension rather than gore; sexual content is limited and not explicit. Light on fear, with occasional brief sharpness and some tears. For viewers who enjoy offbeat French comedy, unsettling humour and a quietly transformative character study.
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