Avant l'hiver

Philippe Claudel's film 'Before the Winter Chill' begins as if it's going to be a drama about a stalker. It then changes tack, and becomes more of a story about a middle aged man becoming involved with a younger woman. He's not exactly looking for an affair, but his interest in her clearly stems from unhappiness in his marriage, which obviously does not benefit from his behaviour. Yet his "care" for the girl is superficial; his real interest is in the effect she is having on him, and he misses things he might have observed. Yet just as this plotline plays out to its conclusion, the movie reveals a final twist. The problem is that all three stories seem weak and underdeveloped; the strength of feelings on display never quite sufficient to wholly motivate the plot. It's not implausible; but its more a film about the absence of feelings, than the presence of them.

Before the Winter Chill, a domestic drama from three-time writer / director Philippe Claudel (I've Loved You So Long), is immediately watchable for its leads, casting Daniel Auteuil and Kristin Scott Thomas as husband and wife in a story woven around their relationships with each other and those around them. The tale is reasonably diverting, and there is enough going on to keep the viewer engaged for the running time, but the material does not aim much higher than movie-of-the-week melodrama. This it does very well certainly, and Leïla Bekhti gives an affecting performance, but it's unlikely that you'll be raving about Avant l'hiver (the film's original title) to your friends and family. Enjoy 'Before the Winter Chill' for the central performances of Auteuil and Scott Thomas, then check out Guillaume Canet's 'Little White Lies' for some real Gallic fireworks.

Altman's The Player had a similar idea: the hero receives messages from a man he believes has a grudge against him, then starts to investigate... The doctor in this film receives flowers every day, and comes to believe that they come from a woman who, he thinks, harbors some grievance. Soon he starts to slump in surgery, his supervisor orders him to take time off, and he finds he has no appetite for anything. I admired Daniel Auteuil's performance very much; he has put on some weight and his eyes have that distant look that means he can't focus on the essential things. His wife, his son and daughter-in-law have needs and he is oblivious to all of it.

Kristin Scott Thomas gives one of her finest performances; she is both suspicious that Paul is cheating and sure that he isn't (not really a paradox). Her eyes are wonderfully expressive. Leila Bekhti didn't really fit in with the story: I didn't get a feeling of menace from her. Richard Berry as the man who never tires of carrying a torch is excellent.

They could've made so much more with this story, but it has no direction, it tries to be profound, but it ultimately fails to. The ending leaves you nowhere, and you ask why you've seen this film? For the cinematics? For the actors? Hmm... For sure not for the incomplete and lack of depth of the script.

"Avant L'Hiver" (2013 release from France; 105 min.) brings the story of a married couple, Paul and Lucie (played by Daniel Auteuil and Kristen Scott Thomas, respectively). As the movie opens, we get to know Paul as a successful neurosurgeon who spends too much time focusing on his job and not enough time on his wife. Then one day Paul runs into Lou, a bartender whom he had treated once when she was a young child. It is not long before it becomes clear that Lou (played by Leïla Bekhti) has a strong interest in Paul. Will Paul reciprocate? Meanwhile Lucie needs to deal with her unstable sister Mathilde, and Paul's business partner in his private practice, Gerard, seems to have an unusual interest in Pau's wife Lucie. To tell you more of this plot-heavy movie would surely ruin your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this is a fairly straight-forward relationship drama, focusing on whether the marriage of Paul and Lucie can survive all of the commotions. Contrary to another reviewer here, I did not experience this movie as a "thriller", slow-burning or not... That aside, I absolutely enjoyed the acting performance of Daniel Auteuil from start to finish. He has a natural ability for these types of roles.

I saw this movie during a recent family visit to Belgium, where it had just opened. The screening I saw this at, a week day matinée, was reasonably well attended. No idea if this movie will ever get a release in the US, be it in theatres or on DVD/Blu-ray, but if you have a chance to see this, I would readily recommend this movie to you.