Elle 2016

A middle-aged French woman named Michèle Leblanc experiences a traumatic incident when she is raped in her home by a masked assailant. Strikingly resilient, she promptly tidies up the chaos left behind and continues with her life. As the assertive leader of a prosperous video game company located in Paris, Michèle navigates a workplace filled with a mix of resentment and infatuation from her male employees. Her relationship with her son, Vincent, suffers as he is caught under the thumb of his ungrateful and possibly unfaithful pregnant girlfriend, Josie.

Michèle has a complicated bond with her self-centered and promiscuous mother, which fuels her resentment towards her mother’s narcissistic tendencies and affairs with younger men. In addition to this, she is having an affair with Robert, the husband of her best friend and business partner, Anna, while also engaging in a flirtatious dalliance with her neighbor, Patrick. Patrick is married to a devoutly Catholic woman named Rebecca.

In a twist of fate, it is uncovered that Michèle is the daughter of a mass murderer who is soon up for parole after two decades in prison. This traumatic backdrop influences Michèle’s wariness towards law enforcement, leading her to keep the assault to herself despite her friends’ pleas for her to seek help.

After the assault, Michèle’s suspicion of the men around her intensifies, starting with Kurt, an employee harboring resentment towards her. A shocking CGI animation depicting a monster assaulting her is sent to everyone at her company, escalating her paranoia. When she confronts a man lurking near her home, it turns out to be Richard, her ex-husband, who was merely concerned for her safety. Eventually, she learns that another employee, infatuated with her, was behind the animation but was not responsible for the rape.

One fateful night, she is attacked again by the same masked assailant and, upon confronting him, she discovers he is Patrick, her neighbor. Despite his aggressive behavior and having already changed her locks, Michèle astonishingly opts against involving the police and takes no steps to bolster her home security.

In a tragic turn, she visits her father after his parole request is denied, only to arrive and find that he has taken his own life. On her way back from the prison, she is involved in a car crash in a remote area. Instead of calling for paramedics, she reaches out to her friends, who do not respond, leading her to call Patrick for rescue. As he aids her, Michèle plunges into a dangerously provocative sexual liaison with him. This relationship ventures into a nuanced role-play scenario in which Patrick feels he is violating her, yet she is, paradoxically, consenting.

As Michèle prepares for a party celebrating her video game’s premiere, she confides in Anna about her affair with Robert. However, during a ride home from the party with Patrick, Michèle reveals her intent to finally confront the realities of their unhealthy relationship and considers contacting the authorities. She deliberately leaves her gate open before entering her home, indicating a shift. But once inside, Patrick follows her, leading to an ambiguous encounter that muddles the lines between consent and assault. Just as this escalates, Vincent intervenes and defends his mother, striking Patrick from behind.

In a gripping resolution, Michèle provides her account to the police while remaining surprisingly composed despite the chaos around her. As Patrick weakens, a flicker of confusion crosses his face. In the closing moments, Michèle speaks with Rebecca, who appears thankful for her willingness to “satisfy Patrick’s needs,” hinting at an awareness of their involvement. Meanwhile, Vincent shows signs of newfound assertiveness, and Michèle reconciles with both Josie and Anna, solidifying their bond post Robert.