“The theme broached here, as in several of the director's earlier films, is the interplay of performance and life. This is a gracefully fluent and deceptively simple work, nearly three hours long but consistently engrossing. Nearly all the action is set in two locales: a suburban villa, inhabited by four aspiring young actresses, and a studio in Paris where Constance (Bulle Ogier) conducts her drama course. . . . The enigmatic narrative involves the pursuit of all the gang of four by a mystery man (cop? crook? spy?) who attempts to seduce them in order to trace the lover of one of their fellow students. This thriller plot intersects with the play rehearsals, creating odd tensions. . . . Not the least of the film's delights is the impressive roster of fresh talent. . . . Veteran (Ogier's) performance during the rehearsal scenes is a marvel of timing, controlled interiority, and sheer craft.”