How do we cope with an expected tragedy? When we have no good reason not to think there will be another day of life with the ones we love, how does the mind process the sharp 180 turn of remorseless reality when that next day doesn't come? These are the painful questions that director Francois Ozon tackles in this thoughtful French production about the unexpected loss of a spouse.
Marie (Charlotte Rampling, SPY GAME) and Jean (Bruno Cremer, French TV actor) travel to their vacation home. The day after they arrive they go to the beach. Jean says he's going into the water and Marie stays behind to sunbathe. Jean disappears. What may have happened to him is unclear at the beginning because we never see him go into the water, which is a brilliant move by Ozon (8 WOMEN) because the doubt serves as a driving narrative through-line for the film.
I've seen a lot of movies about loss, however this one did something quite original to show Marie's mental anguish. She constantly talks to her friends like Jean is still around and she envisions him still living in their apartment. His presence in her mind after his disappearance serves as her conscience talking to her. The Jean image is the one who tells her to go out with Vincent (Jacques Nolot, NENETTE AND BONI). This element creates a captivating uneasiness that makes the viewer wonder what will happen next. We don't feel that Marie is losing her mind, but we fear that it is possible.
Along with a well-observed script, written by Ozon, Emmanuele Bernheim, Marina de Van and Marcia Romano, Rampling's performance is the main reason the film is such a success. The role allows her to travel through the various stages of grief. There are so many moments of resounding truth woven in that it would take too long to list them all. Like, the scene between Marie and her mother-in-law at the end of the film; it's emotional brutal and changes the perspective of everything that has come before. The more and more I think about this film the more and more I like it. I also read that Ozon intended the film to be an allegory to the AIDS epidemic. Knowing the intention I found myself forcing that reading on the film, but it's really forced. You'll have to watch and see for yourself.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
