Quick Info
Annette is probably one of the weirdest musicals I've seen in the last few years, but it's got this hypnotic pull if you let it wash over you. The story follows a stand-up comedian (Adam Driver) and his opera singer wife (Marion Cotillard), and how their lives spiral after the birth of their daughter, Annette (who, yes, is portrayed by a truly eerie puppet for most of the movie). It's dreamy, nightmarish, and totally unafraid to be odd, which is refreshing if you've grown tired of more formulaic musicals.
Visually, the cinematography is striking—lots of bold, dark compositions, flickering stage lights, and stylized set pieces. The director, Leos Carax, really leans into the artificiality of musicals, with characters singing their love, anger, and desperation in ways that feel both intimate and theatrical. The tone shifts often, sometimes jarringly, between satire and tragedy, but there's an experimental energy to the whole thing that kept me from looking away.
Adam Driver completely throws himself into his role—unhinged, raw, and magnetic. Marion Cotillard is more reserved, but her voice gives most of her scenes a haunting quality. Then there's the music, written by oddball legends Sparks, which alternates between pop operetta and avant-garde weirdness. A few songs are catchy and memorable, while others are more like emotional monologues set to music, so don't expect traditional show tunes.
Some of the storytelling is on-the-nose (especially in how the characters literally sing what they're feeling), and the third act gets muddled, stretching its allegorical themes almost to the breaking point. The use of the puppet Annette may be off-putting for some viewers, too—it definitely aims to unsettle. But even where the film stumbles, you can't say it's ever boring.
You would enjoy this if you like bold, art-house musicals, or if you want something genuinely different and challenging—all wrapped in a tragic love story. A warning though: if you’re just looking for a feel-good musical, this is not your vibe.
