mookie-1
Joined Nov 2002
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mookie-1's rating
Paris, the city of two million with a surrounding area of another eight million, is the setting for this film. Director Eric Assous wanted to make a film which shows love according to the real statistics of the real world, rather than the typical Hollywood (or Bollywood) film where boy meets girl and they live happily ever after.
"One main difference between a French film and an Americian film," Assous said "is in a French film everything is possible while in an Americian film it's always the same."
In this "documentary" (done in a similar way as "Une liason pornographique"), we see four relationships; the beautiful beginning, the boring middle and the inevitable rapture.
The personages which Assous use are the extreme personages which one could find in any megacity, be it Paris, London, New York City or Shanghai. In three of the four relationships, we see a "social have" (for whom love comes easy, partners are easy to find and easy to dispose of) and a "social have-not" (those who get tampled upon by the "social have"). In one of the four relationships, we see intellect (or really, the image thereof) go up against non-intellect.
Thus, what happens when: 1) a "successful" businesswoman of around 40 years old seduces an unemployed and unconfident 28 year old; 2) a lonely and obsessive 39 year-old IT worker comes up against a very beautiful 28 year old estate agent; 3) a nice but "failed" woman of 33 meets the man of her dreams and 4) the literature teacher (51) who tries to "change" his young and very opposite of 26.
We see here the brutal side of love, the side which often ignored, even made into a taboo. Love has two sides, the beautiful side where we all feel so happy and the horrible brutal side -- this film opens us to that brutal and uncomprimising side.
"Don't think there is one person who can make you happy," the support-group moderator tells the support group of broken hearts.
"This film is based upon the statistics," Assous said. "It tells the other side of the story."
Assous has been writing scripts for many years now, his work is quite varied (he's done TV scripts as well) and his partner Véronique Boulanger gives a very impressive performance as the sweet and loving Gabrielle who has "failed" in life.
Whether this is a sad film or an optimistic film, Assous leaves that up to the viewer. In any case, it's a very impressive example of why the French cinema is so unique, unlike the film factories known as Hollywood or Bollywood.
"One main difference between a French film and an Americian film," Assous said "is in a French film everything is possible while in an Americian film it's always the same."
In this "documentary" (done in a similar way as "Une liason pornographique"), we see four relationships; the beautiful beginning, the boring middle and the inevitable rapture.
The personages which Assous use are the extreme personages which one could find in any megacity, be it Paris, London, New York City or Shanghai. In three of the four relationships, we see a "social have" (for whom love comes easy, partners are easy to find and easy to dispose of) and a "social have-not" (those who get tampled upon by the "social have"). In one of the four relationships, we see intellect (or really, the image thereof) go up against non-intellect.
Thus, what happens when: 1) a "successful" businesswoman of around 40 years old seduces an unemployed and unconfident 28 year old; 2) a lonely and obsessive 39 year-old IT worker comes up against a very beautiful 28 year old estate agent; 3) a nice but "failed" woman of 33 meets the man of her dreams and 4) the literature teacher (51) who tries to "change" his young and very opposite of 26.
We see here the brutal side of love, the side which often ignored, even made into a taboo. Love has two sides, the beautiful side where we all feel so happy and the horrible brutal side -- this film opens us to that brutal and uncomprimising side.
"Don't think there is one person who can make you happy," the support-group moderator tells the support group of broken hearts.
"This film is based upon the statistics," Assous said. "It tells the other side of the story."
Assous has been writing scripts for many years now, his work is quite varied (he's done TV scripts as well) and his partner Véronique Boulanger gives a very impressive performance as the sweet and loving Gabrielle who has "failed" in life.
Whether this is a sad film or an optimistic film, Assous leaves that up to the viewer. In any case, it's a very impressive example of why the French cinema is so unique, unlike the film factories known as Hollywood or Bollywood.
One could compare the scenario of "Un Crabe" the best with Dostoevski's novel, "The Idiot". We see our "hero" Alex, who we could regard as an idiot, but nevertheless, we see that he becomes the centrepiece in the scenario, just like Dostoevski's main character in "The Idiot". And all seem to need him very much, in their own special way.
His very best friend, Sam, welcomes him with open arms since he's so happy to have him back in his life. Another friend, Audrey, dares not to leave her flat and trusts him with her "business". And of course, the gallery director who says "je t'aime" to Alex. Need we mention as well that Alex sort of stopped his relationship with his "wife"?
We also see Alex make new friends, namely the cold and distant Marie; Sara (the girlfriend of Sam) with whom Alex gets on very well; Armando, the lonely rich kid who has nothing else better to do than to spend his fortune on drugs.
The scanario is very original and very well written. And like in Dostoevski's "The Idiot" we seem to ask ourselves, who is really the idiot here ... Alex or the society around him.
If you're in the mood to see a mainstream Hollywood film, with the basic Hollywood script of action, braindead violence and the cool happy end, this isn't the film for you. However, if you want to see something original and with much insight, you will enjoy your time spent watching this film.
Vive la differénce ;)
m.
His very best friend, Sam, welcomes him with open arms since he's so happy to have him back in his life. Another friend, Audrey, dares not to leave her flat and trusts him with her "business". And of course, the gallery director who says "je t'aime" to Alex. Need we mention as well that Alex sort of stopped his relationship with his "wife"?
We also see Alex make new friends, namely the cold and distant Marie; Sara (the girlfriend of Sam) with whom Alex gets on very well; Armando, the lonely rich kid who has nothing else better to do than to spend his fortune on drugs.
The scanario is very original and very well written. And like in Dostoevski's "The Idiot" we seem to ask ourselves, who is really the idiot here ... Alex or the society around him.
If you're in the mood to see a mainstream Hollywood film, with the basic Hollywood script of action, braindead violence and the cool happy end, this isn't the film for you. However, if you want to see something original and with much insight, you will enjoy your time spent watching this film.
Vive la differénce ;)
m.