Having purchased the tickets for the French Film Festival way in advance means that I’m not 100% sure of what movies that I’ve selected and the reason for choosing them. Today is an example – I had no idea what Love Me No More (Deux jours à tuer) was all about when I rocked up to the cinema. Doing so can be so rewarding – which in this case was really true. Deux jours à tuer is the best French movie out of the three movies that I have seen so far.
The story is about Antoine who seems to snap on his 42nd birthday – he’s tired with his career, with his family, and with his friends. On the day when he’s supposed to celebrate his life, he is combative against everybody who he loves. He criticises the shallowness of his wealthy friends and even pushes his wife Cécile and children away. He sells his shares at the company and visits his father in Ireland, who left him and his mother on his 13th birthday. At the end of the movie, we learn that things aren’t what they seem to be …
This movie deals with a lot of emotions – I was immersed in it fully and felt the anger when Antoine acted like a jerk towards his family and friends. I also shared his loathing when he made sarcastic comments about his friends. The scenes when he seem to be so tired with his life echo the dull feeling that I have started to feel about my life. Is this all there is to it? His sentiment is also similar to mine – I get so cynical when I see well-dressed and rich eastern-suburb executives who turn up to gala dinners to donate to “the needies” and feel self-righteous that they’ve done their bit for the poor. The poor, unfortunate and downtrodden have become the human zoo for the rich thesedays, just so that the wealthy ones can feel better about themselves.
Albert Dupontel is well-casted to play Antoine – somebody who’s so antagonistic but you can’t help liking him underneath the bravado and the obnoxious attitude. I’m also charmed by Marie-Josée Croze who plays Cécile – a beautiful lady who’s brokenhearted about her husband but tries to remain strong.
I really enjoy this movie a lot and when the credit rolled up, I wished that it had been longer. If it’s played in one of the theatres around where you live, go and see it. There was also a powerful poem at the end of the movie – does anybody know where I can get it as well as the English translation? That will be much appreciated!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Whk0baCxic
Rating:
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