User reviews

This movie is the second directed by Bouchitey, after "Lune froide" (Cold moon, 1991). This new one seems to be more "polite", less cynical and sick than the previous one. "Seems", because, after a (slightly slow and too easy to predict) first part based on the life of a university teacher and notorious literature critic, the movie turns out to be the story of the madness of a man, and the sick relationship between him and his student/prisoner.

The movie focus on the behaviour and psychology of the main character, played by Bouchitey. How, from a frustrated writer, he becomes a maniac, then how, from a cold psychotic, he unveils the cracks of his soul.

Both main character, Bouchitey and the young Laetitia Chardonnet, are interesting, moving and deep.

If one shall find the end of the movie a little bit "quick", and the whole plot too predictable, this movie remains a good thriller and a good portrait of an ambiguous maniac/victim relationship.

It is a writer and "stolen" manuscript scheme film, this kind of topic where an "unlucky" novelist steals the work of someone else. I have always loved this scheme, though it was not used so much, and maybe that's precisely for this reason that I like it. It is riveting, well played, the characters convincing, especially Patrick Bouchitey. I watched it again with great pleasure. It's just a shame that this story was not best known. Some sort of mix up between THE COLLECTOR -1965 - and any kind of plot where a writer steals the work of another more successful writer. Sorry, I have seen several of them but can not remember the titles...Could have been used in a TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED or ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS series episode. Good little French gem.