L'homme qui voulait vivre sa vie

Really impressive film that was gripping and well acted. It did drift a little and had slight pacing issues but did not detract from a compelling piece with excellent lead performances. Duris has impressed me an awful lot in his previous performances and commands the screen really well becoming one of the best leading men around. I also found the locations in Montenegro absolutely stunning and filmed in a way that really added to the feel and mood of the film. I was particularly impressed with the way it ended refusing to indulge and become predictable. This is such a rare thing these days and deserves much credit and shows bravery in both the direction and concept that was clearly well thought out. Bravo!

The failure of a professional photographer to use the latest equipment is a good metaphor for this movie, whose English title makes no sense. It seems like it was shot from the original script submission before any grownups had a chance to edit the story. Terrific performances by all the actors, but a story line so sloppy that I re-animated my disbelief about half-way through. For me the most enjoyable aspect was the glimpse to life in various venues around (and near) Europe. I would love to have seen this in the hands of Alfred Hitchcock. He would have lent credibility to the desperation, which I felt was contrived and forced on me. I'll bet they ran out of money while filming and couldn't afford the ending they'd originally planned.

I really have to write a review about this great French thriller. Firstly, although not a French Language expert, the original title which means roughly - THE MAN WHO WANTED TO CHANGE HIS LIFE - is much more appropriate than THE BIG PICTURE. Although the circumstances that lead the main character to change his life for something that he should have done years ago were quite shocking, it resonated with me and I am sure so many others. How many of us have not pursued what we were really good at and traded ourselves in to the banal life of the office, security of the pension and benefits etc. etc. The list goes on. If you can watch this film twice then do as you will appreciate it even more. The acting is very good. The ending may confuse some and I have not ticked the spoiler box so will not give anything away. After leaving the auditorium you will piece it together though. Overall an excellent film. The main actor was great in Heartbreaker and the same here with THE BIG PICTURE.

I found the film a bit illogical and ridiculous as the main character's paranoia have not been depicted realistically...well I have seen the film in the french films club lair with my vision distorted by 2 rows of other people. Anyhow the film might have been a great one had it been cut better. Had it say started at the sea and then retrospectively (getting there backwards) let the viewer to discover the whole, a viewer would personalize the idea and intentions better. In the movie on the other hand, one gets to be introduced to the 'normal' person who gets clearly mad, arranging his life as a paranoic schizophrenic yet acting sanely as before so he even manages to lead a life of a star artist with ease. There are some great plot points like leaving of the loved, stealing of the identity, accidental death, unwanted? artistic praise, sea survival friendship. Unfortunately they are loosely connected with the hero's intentions that are depicted not deeply enough to make a good sense... hence a schizophrenic.

If you are a fan of the book there are obviously a great deal of glaring differences, but this film does not disappoint if you can give it a chance. Obviously it is a European tale and the countries and languages are completely different to the original film. It is also a different story in terms of the characters. This is a film about a man who has recoiled from the life he wanted, but who is then forced into free fall. His skills learned through his unwanted life see him through, and he finds himself a new purpose and a new role in the world. I won't say any more than that as I see no point in spoiling a film by writing a newspaper-style plot summary. The ending is what many people don't like, but this is not a film of the book, it is a film inspired by the book. Let it be what it is.