A Nos Amours

I saw this film when I was fifteen in the mid-80s and was quite affected by it. I bought this dvd a few weeks ago to watch it again. Inevitably, I had forgotten most of the film and have a different appreciation of it now but it still packs a punch. Michel Pialat directs himself as the father of Suzanne (Sandrine Bonnaire, stunning in her first role) whose apparently happy family life is torn apart by inner tensions. Pialat walks out on the family, without explanation, but you suspect he is unable to cope with Suzanne's growing promiscuity and his neurotic wife. There is a wonderful, tender scene between father and daughter when he tells her he is leaving. When she asks why, he says "Sometimes people just get up and leave." Simmering underneath is all that is unsaid. He comments that she has changed - then points out she only has one dimple on her cheeks, but used to have two. "Where did it go?" he asks. "It just got up and left," she giggles. The clever script gives you the sense that even when people want to communicate, there are things words can't say. Which might explain the outbreaks of violence, shocking in its immediacy and apparent lack of choreography, especially between mother and daughter and brother and sister. The excellent extra disc features documentaries and interviews (an excellent one with Bonnaire). It explains, for example, that the final scene, (a family dinner where the father returns for the first time since he left to show a potential buyer round the family appartment!)was mostly improvised. Pialat began to direct the scene, disappeared behind the set, donned his costume and re-entered the scene in character without telling the rest of the cast who now had to react to him. Superb! It feels visceral and dangerous and seems to get under the skin to the psychological heart of things. Quite Pinteresque in fact. Unfortunately, this major European film is only available in region 1 format with English subtitles so you'll need a region 1 player to enjoy it.

Everything is perfect in this movie, it captures well the personality of the central character (Sandrine Bonnaire) and her relationships with all those around her. Its almost like a novel by Balzac, Hugo, Proust, etc. Plus some of the cinematrographic aspects and the way the natural beauty of Bonnaire is highlighted by the director is astonishing. If all French movies were like this they would be perfect, many try but they cannot and become just boring. This one hits all the marks of what a top French movie is and can be.

The joy of loving French cinema all my life is to make new discoveries that raise the bar of excellence even higher. This is a remarkable film of a great performance by Bonnaire.

I did see this film many years ago, a very compelling performance from the then young.. Sandrine Bonnaire, I think her acting technique did get better with every film she made. It is really incredible this 16 year old, could give such a performance. If you like French films...are interested in French Film Makers this is a must. I did think when I first saw this film Bonnaire would go far in the Film Industry. She has of course since directed and written films, and become a recognised contributor to World Cinema.

But the one big disappointment I have is there is English subtitles for the feature film, but not for any of the extras.

Disappointing. I cannot see the point of it. The fact that this girl does not believe in anything can be understandable ... to a certain extent. But that she should sleep with everyone and let down the boyfriends who really care does not seem a good solution especially at that age, unless she lets them know straight from the beginning that she only wants to sleep and nothing more. She spreads a lot of unhappiness around her. Everything is excessive in this film. The critics were very good and I wanted to see for myself. It was a mistake and a waste of time.

So so

15-year old Suzanne (Sandrine Bonnaire) is a precocious child, living with her mother, her career-driven brother, and her sometimes overbearing father (played by Maurice Pialat). She has recently split from her boyfriend and is intent on moving from man to man in search of sexual pleasures and guardianship. When her father splits from her mother and moves out, home life becomes unbearable as her mother and brother disapprove of her lifestyle. She is most comfortable in the arms of a man, be it one of her seducers or her father. Men seems to flock to her, as she is pretty, charming and is happy to accommodate her admirers. This is the second film that I've seen directed by French master Maurice Pialat, the other being the excellent L'Enfance Nue. They are both similar films in terms of themes and execution, and tell the familiar coming-of-age story from an original perspective. Whereas the former was a sledgehammer portrayal of a young juvenile causing havoc amongst the various foster homes he was placed, where redemption never seems possible, A Nos Amours' Suzanne is a more sympathetic lead character, and her journey is portrayed in a more subtle manner. While it would be shocking to hear of a 15 year old girl bedding a number of men, Pialat is more focused on what drives her to act this way. She is not a tease, and she doesn't flaunt her body to anyone who will look. Instead, she seems to simply enjoy the comfort of a man. When the father moves away, her home life falls apart and her bed-mates increase. Perhaps Pialat is trying to portray the impact an absent father can have on a child, or that all women need comforting every once in a while. Or maybe this is an individual character study, with no overriding message. What it most definitely is, though, is a wonderfully acted (especially from the young Bonnaire), intelligent, and intriguing film that has Pialat's usual cold detachment alongside a certain intimacy with the lead character. []

J'ai bien reçu cet article, mais je ne l'ai pas regardé pour le moment ! Le dvd est neuf et scellé.

film bellissimo! visibile in bluray nel migliore dei modi grande regista francese Pialat, che in Italia è praticamente sconosciuto Sandrinne Bonnaire agli esordi è un incanto

An interesting coming of age story. Sandrine Bonnaire is quite a good actress. Along with Ludivine Saignier and Eva Green and the older Julia Ormond among the best acters around. Also the 2 actresses in Blue is the warmest color (Lea Seydoux and Adelle Exarchopolis), check this out.

Item as described, fast delivery, thanks a lot

Un jour, Maurice Pialat lâcha une bombe et le cinéma français ne fut plus jamais pareil. Elle s’appelait Sandrine Bonaire. Elle crève l’écran dès les premières secondes. Film étrange, dérangeant, où Pialat règle ses comptes avec ses acteurs, dont certains semblent après coup avoir été conduit dans un piège (la scène du retour du père). Bonus très instructifs sur le tournage.