This article contains spoilers for the film Annette.One movie no one expected and that lingers with anyone who views it is French filmmaker Leos Carax’s English debut called Annette. The 2021 musical film is surreal, disturbing, and employs an unbelievable cast including Adam Driver of Star Wars, Marion Cotillard of La Vie en Rose and Inception, and Simon Helberg of The Big Bang Theory. Beatrice Loayza of The New York Times accurately describes Carax’s style as “outré, defiantly bombastic, and deliberately upsetting” in an era of films which play it safe. Carax’s Annette certainly abandons the idea of safety and commercialism, which is what assures that the film is so memorable.

The story was developed by brothers Ron and Russel Mael and follows the romance of a provocative comedian, Henry McHenry, played by Adam Driver. Henry falls in love with and has a child with celebrity soprano Ann Desfranoux, (Cotillard) who gives birth to a marionette puppet which they name Annette. The marriage suffers when Henry stays home and cares for Annette, while Ann further develops her musical career overseas. Put simply, Henry’s loss of his career and jealousy proves deadly. If you’ve already watched the film, you’re probably dissecting the events, music, and artful backgrounds and trying to discern what it all means.

According to The New York Times, this is exactly what Leos Carax wants. Carax told them that when a film is released, “there shouldn’t be questions and answers, but questions and more questions and doubts.” And if you’re here, you’re left with exactly that. Fortunately, we’ve taken the time to analyze this film and Adam Driver’s bizarre recent performance for you. Here is Annette, explained.

The Story of Annette

After the couple has their daughter, Ann continues her career overseas and Henry remains home with their puppet-child, Annette. Henry develops some pretty toxic feelings about Ann, but the couple decides to overcome these issues by embarking on a remote voyage by ship. While sailing, there is a massive storm in which a drunken Henry insists Ann dance with him on deck, and she accidentally falls overboard. Henry does not attempt to save her. Overcome with guilt and shock, Henry escapes with his daughter, Annette, on a lifeboat, and they wash up on a remote island. While Henry and Annette are asleep, Ann’s ghost possesses Annette with her voice to get back at Henry. When they return home, Henry is cleared of suspicion over Ann’s death, but he is financially broke.


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With no money, Henry proposes to Ann’s former accompanist (Helberg), that they put baby Annette in a musical singing act. Of course, using Ann’s singing voice, baby Annette becomes a hit. However, Henry continues his alcoholic behavior and one night overhears the accompanist teaching Annette a sentimental song, the song that was Ann and Henry’s. The accompanist suggests that he is Annette’s real father and out of rage Henry drowns the man in his pool with Annette watching. Afterward, Henry insists that Annette go ahead with her ‘Hyperbowl’ performance (like a Superbowl halftime show) but his daughter refuses. Instead, Annette announces to the massive audience that her father is a murderer and then Henry is convicted.


In the future, Annette, who is now a real girl, visits her father and refuses to reconcile with him. She also disapproves of her mother for using her. When she leaves, the puppet that was once Annette is now lifeless.

What Does Annette Mean?

There are a few details that should be contemplated here, including the fact that Annette is a doll for most of the film. The first thing to note is that director Leos Carax drew from some personal conflicts in this project, although he is hardly identical to Henry. According to an article by Digital Mafia Talkies, Carax was married to a Russian actress, Yekaterina Golubeva, before she passed away in 2011. The couple shared a daughter, Natasya Carax, to whom this film is dedicated. While Carax obviously did not murder his wife, it is likely that he did struggle with some of the same challenges as Henry, such as the battle between fame and family, and the competition between jealousy and love. The presence of media and cameras is also constant in this film, which might be making an observation on how celebrity stories are covered and how sometimes the news is like a collective game of telephone.


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The most obvious detail of significance here is Annette’s transformation at the end of the movie. In a duet, Annette tells Henry that she felt manipulated and exploited by both her parents and would not be used as a tool anymore. She feels that neither of them could truly love her. Then, Annette leaves Henry as a real girl, no longer a puppet. Henry used Annette to make money and Ann used Annette to get back at Henry.

The situation comments on the trouble with celebrity relationships and might even be reflecting on the course of Natasya’s childhood, who starred in Carax’s previous film Holy Motors. A final aspect to note about Annette is that the actors are singing in real-time. According to an article by Lisa Wong Macabasco of Vogue, actress Marion Cotillard explained that this was what Carax wanted, for the “voices to be modified [and] thwarted by the reality.” The performance from the band Sparks, filmed in real-time, which bookends the film only highlights the struggle between authenticity and absolute artifice.

Annette in Conclusion

There are many complex layers to Leos Carax’s recent film Annette. To fully understand the piece and unravel all the meaningful bits, you may have to view the movie multiple times. What is clear, though, is that Carax and fellow artists Ron and Russel Mael are reflecting on personal conflicts with fame as well as bigger issues, like the power of the media and the Me Too movement. Although Annette sometimes feels like an exceedingly dark version of A Star is Born, the film is well worth the watch. Leos Carax’s Annette is currently available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video.