Main Cast: Isabelle Huppert, Daniel Auteuil, Jerome Deschamps, Karin Viard, Laurence Lerel
Release Year: 1994
Country: FR
Run Time: 85 minutes
MPAA Rating: NR
Plot
French director Christian Vincent charts the dissolution of a long-term relationship with his third film, based on the novel by Dan Franck. Daniel Auteuil and Isabelle Huppert star as Pierre and Anne, a couple who have been living together as husband and wife for several years. Although they never married, they do have a fifteen-month-old son, Loulou. One night at the cinema, Anne refuses to take Pierre's hand and the strained moment leads to her confession that she has fallen in love with another man. Although Pierre seems at first to take the news calmly, he becomes increasingly desperate and enraged as the days pass, while the distant Anne walks a fine line between embarking on a new romance and trying not to hurt Pierre too greatly. When a pair of friends, Victor (Jerome Deschamps) and Claire (Karin Viard), announce that they are finally marrying after their own years-long relationship, it sparks a final confrontation between Pierre and Anne. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
Christian Vallerin - Art Director, Frederique Moidon - Casting, Sylvie Gautrelet - Costume Designer, Christian Vincent - Director, Francois Ceppi - Editor, Claude Bertrand - Musical Direction/Supervision, Thi Loan N'Guyen - Makeup, Denis Lenoir - Cinematographer, Claude Berri - Producer, Pierre Grunstein - Producer, Claude Bertrand - Sound/Sound Designer, Jean-Paul Loublier - Sound/Sound Designer, Christian Vincent - Screenwriter, Dan Franck - Screenwriter, Dan Franck - Book Author
Parisian parents Pierre and Anne go to see a film; it bothers Pierre that Anne rejected his overtures during the movie. Not long afterwards Anne tells Pierre that she 'thinks she fell in love with someone'. Pierre registers the news without reaction. Indeed, both seem determined to remain composed and deal with Pierre's hurt pride and Anne's new interest rationally.
Pierre's discusses the situation with mutual friends Victor and Claire. Their reassurances are little comfort. Anne's new relationship begins to strain at Pierre. There is also the added complication of their 18 month-old son Loulou. Despite the regular presence of a nanny, Laurence, each find reason to claim the other is neglecting him. Paranoia and recrimnation begin to escalate. Fights break out, most bitterly after Pierre discovers that Anne has taken Loulou to her mother's.
Pierre surprises Anne at work and asks to talk. He is more composed and tells her that he has decided he must leave. Anne reciprocates with the news that her affair has ended. Digesting this news with the same outward calm as at the beginning of the film Pierre walks Anne back to their flat. He feels unable to go in. Instead he wanders the streets, lost and unable to hail a stream of passing taxis.
Critical reception
The film received two César Award nominations for Best Actor (Daniel Auteuil) and Best Actress (Isabelle Huppert) in 1995 (the year of its UK release). The film took four years to find a distributor in the United States but following its release in 1998 it was nominated for a 1999 Golden Satellite Award as Best Foreign Language Film.
