Last night I watched LE TEMPS QUI RESTE/TIME TO LEAVE directed by FRANCOIS OZON.

I was in the movie store, lost in choice as usual, when I saw this lonely little cover in the new releases section. The image of a man holding a baby caught my eye because recently I've been having a recurring dream that I have a child and I wake up completely elated. It's quite bizarre because I normally think of myself as someone who prefers to avoid children.

Anyway, now that I've frightened off any potential boyfriends with my talk of children, I rented it and was pleasantly surprised by what I saw.

Romain is a successful asshole of a photographer living with his boyfriend in France (he even uses the same camera and lights that I use...hmmm...). He learns that he is dying of cancer and only has a few months to live without treatment. He forgoes chemo and any chance of survival and doesn't tell anyone that he's dying. He dumps his boyfriend, alienates his family, smokes, snorts coke, goes to bathhouses, and fathers a child with a stranger. He spends the majority of his dying days alone.

In an exchange with his ex-boyfriend he asks if he can sleep with him one last time. The ex, still unaware that Romain is terminally ill, says "What's the point?", and Romain answers "That's what I've been asking myself, all the time, everyday, until today, but you just asked it."

In this beautifully and naturalistically shot film we watch a man choose how he will die. We can't understand why he makes the choices he makes; how could he not surround himself with his family and friends? His solitude seems so selfish and futile - we see this as he licks an ice cream cone alone at the beach, at first pleased with his purchase and then disappointed with the fact that it doesn't fulfill him. We see all this without a word being spoken. But what would fulfill him and why would it matter? Why would it make any difference if his family were around?

Right after I watched this I was really impressed, but then watched the TRAILER online and it was a bit ruined for me (they made it seem like a soap opera and took out all the edge). But I've been thinking about it all day and how effective it was. The darkness of what it is to be human amidst these beautiful and affectionate moments really got to me. He is not really a great person - amidst his aforementioned indiscretions there are even bizarre and energizing scenes hinting at his interest in incest - and this is not a manipulative film where you will cry for hours (either that or I'm empty inside), but it gets to you.

This film comes from the director of SWIMMING POOL, so if you're a fan of big climactic dramatic endings, be prepared that this may not be what you expect...but give it a chance. Or not, I don't care.

Labels: BOOKS MOVIES AND OTHER CULTURALISTICALITIES, DEATH AND DRAMA, DESPERATE AND SAD, REALLY FUCKING GAY

POSTED BY GRAYDON AT 12/30/2006 -

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