writers_reign This is just one more example of why French cinema is the best in the world. No real story, no suspense, no sex, no violence BUT! also no cgi, no slasher movie #24, no Hollywood Formula - The Sequel. In short just two of the finest actors on the planet running with a situation in which virtually out of the blue the wife tells the husband she is in love with another man. It's never that quite out of the blue of course and one of the strengths of this movie is the writing on the wall which is in turn projected onto the screen; the smallest hairline fractures in what, on the surface, is a perfect marriage complete with child. Juliette Binoche is a fine actress, no question, but it is virtually impossible to picture anyone other than Isabelle Huppert in the role of Anne and the same applies to Daniel Auteuil as Pierre, each of them fully inhabits the role in which they have been cast and although there is outstanding support from Jerome Deschamps and Karin Viard it is really superfluous. One of the finest films of the 90s, not just from France but from anywhere but it helps if you go to movies to check out the Human Condition rather than to spray popcorn at each other.

jotix100 When we first meet Anne and Pierre, they seem to be a normal couple. They are dining out with their friends Victor and Claire. The first thing that raises our guard is when we see Pierre caressing Anne's hand at the cinema where they are watching a film. Anne, seems unduly irritated, for a woman that is happily married, when she takes her hand away. Later on, when Pierre meets Anne for lunch, her face reveals she is not physically in the restaurant with her husband; her mind is someplace else.This tightly knitted film, directed by Christopher Vincent, who collaborated on the screen play with novelist Dan Franck, is a visual feast for lovers of the French cinema, as two of the best actors are paired to get inside the couple at the center of the story.It doesn't feel strange that Anne confesses to Pierre that she has fallen in love with someone else. Anne is a woman that seems distant, even with her young son, Loulou, an eighteen months toddler, who must have arrived late in her life. At the same time, she gives the impression that she doesn't hate Pierre. In fact, after confessing to having another love interest, she cuddles in bed with Pierre.Pierre, on the other hand, can't believe Anne could have betrayed him. He is a devoted husband and a loving father to his young son, who is the center of his life. Pierre realizes he will lose custody of Loulou because the French laws favor the mother as the natural custodian. The real surprise comes toward the end, when everything seems lost for Pierre. Anne confesses she has ended the liaison with this mystery man for good. That confession makes us wonder if there was ever such a person. Was Anne testing Pierre's love, or was she suffering boredom from a too normal life and wanted to add a spark to it? We never get to the answer, which will be different for many viewers.The best achievement of this film is the superb acting Mr. Vincent got from his two stars. Isabelle Huppert is an enigmatic Anne. We never know where she is at any given time. In contrast, Daniel Auteuil's Pierre makes us feel the pain that has been inflicted in his heart by Anne's admission of another man in her life. Both actors give wonderful performances, guided by the director.This film is painful to watch because of the raw intensity of what we see on the screen.

mdefranc I wouldn't be surprised if Huppert faked her affair with the mysterious "lover" just to solicit her husband's attention. At the end it seems as if she had "forgiven" him and tries to win him back to their home. Her interpretations often grab the audience by the throat, leaving spectators often in a state of mesmerizing suspense, and I am using the word "mesmerizing" because of her ability to seduce and own the viewers' eyes. She is a woman who has a way with men, she makes them believe what she wants, she makes them want her and agonize over her, over her insane requests and behavior throughout the movies she stars in.After seeing her in some of her movies, I feel comfortable saying that she could have been a good main character in Ozon's "Sous le Sable", where the role of the widow is played by a phenomenal Charlotte Rampling (remember when she runs on the beach at the end?).

raymond-15 Two of France's great actors give flawless performances as a couple whose marriage is sadly in need of repair. The problem started it seems when they allowed little irritations to accumulate instead of discussing them openly and finding immediate solutions. In a word, this film is about lack of communication between partners. It is so true to life that it's almost painful at times as the couple perpetually nit-pick and argue using hurtful suggestions and criticising every look and gesture. The dialogue is excellent - brief, terse, unforgiving with mounting impatience. As eavesdroppers on their marital problems we become emotionally involved and begin to wonder which of the partners will be the first to crack under the strain. Separation seems inevitable. Early resentments now become uncontrollable outbursts with physical violence. Which partner will leave first? Important to the story is the character of the 18 months old baby, intensely loved by both parents. The sweet innocence of the baby ( Nice little actor!)gives some relief to the bitterness of the sparring parents. Anne asks Pierre:"What made me fall in love with you?" She tells him. The answer will surprise you. The ending of the film may surprise you, too.