Oublie-moi

Ever heard of Roman Polanski's film 'Repulsion'? In it Catherine Deneuve plays an insanely attractive unused-looking young insane woman who attracts people although she can't stand people, especially men and their physical touch. Now 'Oublie-moi' is about an insanely needy woman (in need of physical contact with men) who is a bit rougher-looking than Deneuve but nevertheless channels Deneuve's 'Repulsion' character. She doesn't really have a problem attracting men, her problem is that for some reason she can't stand being loved and desired but can't stand being alone either which result in her feeling either lonely because of rejection or in feeling too wanted by a certain person to want to be with him. One way or the other a relationship with that woman can't work, she is doomed. And so she goes through a series of odd sexual adventures à la Harvey Keitel in 'Bad Lieutenant' (in whose case it wasn't just sex, of course). Sort of a strange comparison but that's what I was reminded of and his character too was desperate and not exactly right in the head. The movie starts off like a typical French art-house love triangle drama with a whole lot of talking and "nothing happening" which would have been fine enough by me, I generally like such talky crap with the characters' constant reminiscing about love and life, but gradually I realized that this woman was pretty twisted. Then there was another movie I was reminded of, Cronenberg's 'Crash'. Why, because of the moody music. The visuals are utterly bland but the music does the trick.

It is the story of people who don't succeed in realizing their lives and themselves. It could happen anywhere but once more it shows that, very often, love can bring sorrow and unhappiness if one demand too much of it. Noémie Lvovsky has taken the best of ordinary actors and of a common story. The picture is very good.