Death of a Ladies' Man

Sorry, let's agree that is also a no pun intended summary line I used. We can fool ourselves, right? As humans we are able to do so - maybe to see things that are not there. And maybe you can now see what I am doing - especially if you have seen the movie. If not come back and read this again. I did not plan it, but it makes sense in the overall story arc of the character Gabriel Byrne is playing.

We try to live life a certain way. We have a moral compass - either it is fine tuned or it is not so much. Byrne takes this and elevates it - his character is not really the most likeable - but those roles are the ones that are the ones that make you want to act I assume. A challenge of sorts - a challenge that he not only accepts but is capable of mastering.

Of course he has help from other actors, the director and cinematography/editing. This is really well told - and even if you do not feel much for him, he is intriguin enough to make it worth your while ...

The story is quite interesting. It is dark, but has some fantasy sequences that make you wonder what exactly is real.

College professor Samuel O'Shea (Gabriel Byrne) is a cheating ladies' man in Montreal. He catches his wife cheating in their bed and it's yet another divorce. He starts having hallucinations and is visited by his ghost dad Ben (Brian Gleeson). It's terminal brain disease. He goes to a remote house in Ireland to write his memoirs. Charlotte Lafleur (Jessica Paré) is a local store clerk.

It takes an hour for Jessica Paré to enter the picture. I expected it to be sooner and in Montreal. Then the movie splits into the two locations and I don't care about Samuel's family when he's not there. The story telling is a bit wonky. The surreal hallucinations are a little silly at times. Despite all the issues, this has Gabriel Byrne and he makes this compelling. I do like the big twist despite expecting something exactly like that. The Leonard Cohen songs are an interesting choice, but the film needs to have the guts to go full musical. They do that at the end and that's a little too late. This movie is a bit of a mess, but an interesting mess. I definitely would bring in Paré sooner and have that character be the central premise.

9/10 to catch your attention. If you ever liked even single Leonard Cohen's song this movie is for you. It's fitting tribute to the late poet without actually much mentioning him.

It's quirky for sure but....it makes you ponder your own life too...how you are living it and what the end may bring also.. Gabriel Byrne..I think that's all I have to say!