STARS: CHARLOTTE RAMPLING, BRUNO CREMER & JACQUES NOLOT

Story

The film opens with Marie (Charlotte Rampling) and her husband of many years, Jean (Bruno Cremer), driving out of Paris to their seaside holiday home. The drive and their quiet meal together after arriving at the cottage gives an insight into the personalities of this couple and more particularly their relationship. They are obviously close and comfortable together but there is a pervading sense of great tiredness. Marie appears to be the more animated and affectionate of the two whilst Jean is introspective and detached. In bed he is similarly unresponsive and one wonders what has brought them to this point in their lives. The next day they decide to go to their favourite beach. She rests in the sun whilst he goes for a swim from which he does not return. The tension builds as she realizes that he really is missing and goes for help. from here the plot becomes an engrossing and powerful psycho thriller as we learn that Marie has not accepted Jean’s disappearance. Reality becomes confused with her delusion that he is still alive and we move to and fro between the past, real time and her vivid, disturbing and sometimes erotic, dreams. Her circle of friends try hard to help her as her mental state deteriorates, but to no avail. Vincent (Jacques Nolot), introduced by her friends, strikes up a relationship with her but she shuns commitment and this is troubled and founders…

Extras

Charlotte Rampling and Bruno Cremer give an excellent summary of the emotional content of the film and more particularly the relevance of the story to the human condition. Rampling’s interpretation of the conclusion of the plot is interesting and will give comfort to those who may still be befuddled at the close.

There is a trailer and the film is presented in 16:9 widescreen with English sub-titles. There are film biographies of Rampling and Ozon and the usual scene selection facility.

Overall

This is an absorbing and beautifully crafted film. With the complexity of the plot it will definitely stand (more properly demand!) several viewings. All involved give fine performances and Rampling’s, as Marie’s mental state progressively collapses, is outstanding. The mood of the film is measured and this pace and the sense of mystery is ably assisted by the score. The plot subtly visits the dynamics of relationships and how we can sometimes fail to read emotional signals. It also deals with personal loss, the nature of grief and how some handle this, leaving us plenty to ponder.