I just gave a bad review of a talkie picture about two people wandering around a modern metropolis and talking. Yet I loved this movie set in the South of France. Emotion is the reason.
I believed the angst of these characters. Other reviewers have already mentioned that being on a permanent holiday is not as great as it may seem. The old lady is constantly writing and mailing letters to friends back home, because that is her way of staying connected. She also obsesses over her kids visiting. Life is not really about leisure. Life is about human connections and purpose.
All of these actors were perfect in their roles. The look of sheer hopeless anomie in the lead old guy's face was priceless. The old lady's unrefined babbling was right on the mark too. I'll bet people don't given much credit to the young actor, but he was totally believable as the rather ordinary yet admirably enthusiastic optimist.
Of course the blonde was enchanting. You could tell that she longed to be cherished and understood.
But the most profound aspect of it all, was the cruel reality of aging. Women are probably more comfortable with it than men. As long as they have a male buddy to dote on, they are happy. Women only have a very brief period of enchanting allure. After that, their appeal diminishes rapidly and never comes back.
If you're fortunate enough to meet one during her glory years, you have to pay the price later when you're stuck with her for decades, without being attracted to her.It's just the way it is. In the case of this film, the main guy was a loving and honorable husband, despite his partial revulsion for his wife.
A man never stops craving the excitement and carnal fire of young love. This old character wants to be young and possess the girl so intensely. But he knows that his days of lust, passion, and romance are long over. He has nothing to look forward to but more aging, sickness, and death.
The greatest scene by far, was when she asks him how long he has been with his wife and reveals his true age. You can see the reality set in for her, as she is overwhelmed.
Up until this point, she had enjoyed the company of a distinguished older gentleman and put his age out of her mind. But now she realizes that he is truly an old geezer. Worse yet, he sees that realization in her eyes and mannerisms.
The look on his face at the end says it all.
Nice photography and understated performances by the supporting characters. Overall, a sensitive portrayal of a real life scenario. Good work.
