Welcome To New York

Welcome to New York is the controversial new film based loosely on the scandal involving Dominic Strauss-Khan, former head of the International Monetary Fund, who was embroiled in a sexual assault case in NYC which ultimately ended his high profile career. Strauss-Khan is never named directly in this drama that instead tells the story of Mr Devereaux, played by Gerard Depardieu in imperious form. Devereaux is a powerful man who controls billions of dollars every day and in turn controls the economic fate of nations. Directed and co-written by legendary film-maker Abel Ferrara, who often delves into the dark underbelly of New York City, this movie is a powerful fable of corrupting power which pulls no punches in both its treatment of the story and the subject matters themselves.

The film opens with an unusual scene of Depardieu being interviewed as himself about his personal views on politicians in which he says he doesn't trust any of them. Whether this is to separate the actor from the character in the viewers eyes or to give some context to the films moral code is not clear but it is a strange way to begin. Soon Devereaux arrives in NYC and takes part in a debauched orgy that has seemingly been organised in his honour. Then he gets involved with a pair of prostitutes in his hotel room. Depardieu takes part with grim relish, grunting and shunting his vast bulk all over the room. The next day he is showering when a maid enters his room requesting to clean it. As she comes into the bedroom Devereaux stands in the doorway totally naked like a wet walrus and proceeds to grab and force the maid to fellate him. He doesn't quite manage it and the maid runs off with Devereaux leaving the hotel for the airport a while later. It is only when he leaves his phone in his room that suspicions are aroused and he is soon escorted from the plane and taking to a downtown holding cell.

This instant fall from grace is impressively done as after witnessing almost pornographic sex scenes we now see theprotagonist forced into a humiliating strip search by the authorities. Jacqueline Bissett now enters the fray as Devereaux's wife who manages to get him under house arrest in an apartment that costs $60,000 a week. The scenes between Depardieu and Bissett are a masterclass in subtlety, showing the most accurate portrayals of a domestic arguments seen for a while in cinema. All their barbs and threats are mumbled through gritted teeth, he sulks and begs for forgiveness while she bears the pained extression of a woman who has seen this all before, dozens of times. Their exchanges bring a certain familiarity to the relationship and helps embellish the strong themes of power and sin. She has money but wants power through his possible future presidential status which is now wrecked due to his need for sin. She blames him for everything, he blames his self for nothing.

At the French premiere held on a beach just outside the official Cannes screening area, the cast were in attendance and there was a reported party atmosphere, possibly due to the films controversially Gallic subject matter and the amount of nakedness in the first half, yet by the end a philosophical tone took hold mirroring the films last scenes. Like many of Ferrara's films the moral compass is defined by the viewer who must make up their mind as to who is the most corrupt; Deveraeux or the system he represents. Apart from losing his job and any chance of becoming the French leader Devereaux basically gets away with it, so by the end it is difficult to make any finite judgements upon anyone. Despite it's purposeful moral vacuum the film is a fantastically blunt glimpse at the underworld that the upper echelons of society often frequent. Welcome To New York is part police procedural and part soft porn with large helpings of Franch shrugs and American plotting. The film climaxes in the realisation that while power and wealth corrupt they also protect and forgive.