Intimate Strangers details
| Format: | 15 DVD |
|---|---|
| Starring: | Michel Duchaussoy, Sandrine Bonnaire, Anne Brochet, Fabrice Luchini, Sandrine Bonnaire |
| Director: | Patrice Leconte |
| Genre: | World Cinema - French |
| Studio: | 20TH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Name | Discs | |
|---|---|---|
Intimate Strangers |
15 Feature |
DVD Information
| Run time: | 1 hour 40 minutes |
|---|---|
| Rental release: | 21 Mar 2005 |
| Main languages: | French |
| Subtitles: | English |
Write your own review
Most helpful review
A case of mistaken identity crisis
By a customer from uk , 07 Mar 2005[Highly rated reviewer]
The gimmick in 'Intimate Strangers' is that a young woman, Anna Delambre (Sandrine Bonnaire), mistakenly enters the office of a tax consultant, William Faber (Fabrice Luchini), instead of a psychoanalyst, and tells him her most intimate secrets. The question then arises: Did she make an honest mistake, or is the whole thing a setup? Which of the two is the doctor, and which is the patient? Is she telling the truth, or is she a pathological liar? And why does he maintain the illusion instead of calling her bluff?
'Intimate Strangers' works well as a psychological thriller, an elaborate cat-and-mouse game. But it is also a meditation on loneliness and the lengths to which we are willing to go to overcome it ... or not. In other words, do we allow ourselves to be intimate with each other, or do we remain strangers walled in our fortresses of solitude?
Fabrice Luchini's character epitomizes the latter type of person. He leads a solitary and uneventful life, is obsessive-compulsively neat (he uses shoe trees, for heaven's sake), is unable to keep his on-and-off girlfriend happy, and voyeuristically observes the quiet joys and turbulent passions of his neighbors across the way. (Shades of 'Rear Window'.) Other minor characters exhibit similar tics: his secretary admits to watching rubbish on television while gorging herself on potato chips, and the doorkeeper of the office building spends all her time watching an idiotic soap opera.
Sandrine Bonnaire is, as always, a lovely, delicate vision. She succeeds in conveying the mystery and intrigue of her character, and yet makes Anna wholly believable.
Unfortunately, Fabrice Luchini does not lend the same degree of realism and reality to William. He is too stereotypically anal-retentive and full of hangups, and we never see William as more than two-dimensional. He remains basically the same, unchanged, even by the closing credits. In short, we never get to know him intimately. He begins and ends the film as simply strange.- Was this review helpful to you?
- (72) Yes |
- No (3)
All reviews
(64)Not worth the effort of reading all those sub titles!
By Bobsview (554 reviews) from Gloucestershire , 12 Jun 2012Absolutely typical French film ie understated , pretentious, ponderous and nothing happens . It has the musical score of a great erotic thriller like Body Heat or Basic Instinct but the music does not fit the film in which there is no action whatsoever and it is extremely hard to stay awake . Even the title of this film promises something that it does not deliver.
The entire premise of the story is extremely contrived and unbelievable anyway but I could forgive that if there was subsequently some point to it but at the end you cannot help but conclude it is a waste of time .- Was this review helpful to you?
- (0) Yes |
- No (0)
Funny enough
By Slurs from Scotland , 17 Jul 2011A diverting hour or so, but nothing to leave a lasting impression.- Was this review helpful to you?
- (0) Yes |
- No (0)
Another Strange French Film
By Cato (705 reviews) from Lydbury North , 13 Jan 2011A totally unbelievable premise makes the rest of the film unlikely and rather boring. Only French cinema could get away with this, although I wouldn't be surprised if Hollywood got their hands on it some day.- Was this review helpful to you?
- (1) Yes |
- No (0)
Intimate Strangers
By ShaunOShaun (3 reviews) from London , 09 Jan 2011A really interesting plot made believable by subtle acting and script, but some may find it slow paced with a relatively lightweight ending. Not for action fans! The scenery and photography is repetitive - which fits in with the story. The feel of the film is a slow unfolding of emotions from characters which are a bit one dimensionally designed for the plot.- Was this review helpful to you?
- (1) Yes |
- No (0)
a good film for watching on a Rainy Afternoon
By a customer from KIDDERMINSTER , 18 Sep 2010The sub titles are not too bad, clear and not too fast. This is a funny film very subtle and very enjoyable. The acting was extremely good and the film held you right to the end. Only the french can do these kind of films in the special and clever way- Was this review helpful to you?
- (2) Yes |
- No (0)
