La Separation Details

Haunting film and beautifully acted

Don't expect a strong storyline, twists gimmicks or happy endings. Just sit back and enjoy the performances of two of best actors in world cinema today. The film portrays a marriage which crumbles apart before our eyes when the wife, Anne (Isabelle Huppert), announces she has fallen in love with another man. We don't meet the 'other man' nor do we see the nature of their 'affair' - but we do see the impact it has on the marriage and in particular on the husband, Pierre (Danile Auteuil,)who experiences slowly building feelings of jealousy and rage. An intense and haunting film which gives the viewer little respite from the feelings of anger and resentment between husband and wife. It pulls few emotional punches and is focused almost entirely on interior scenes between Anne and Pierre in their apartment. Isabelle Huppert dominates the film (as usual) and manages to portray Anne as a woman who is hardened and unfeeling but also capable of remorse and tenderness. The biggest surprise for me was Daniel Auteuil who often does not seem strong enough to be a leading man but in this film he captures perfectly the mixed emotions of a husband trying to keep his family together but who is also fighting the building feelings of rage within him. It reminded me of Bergman's 'Scenes from a Marriage' - which is high praise indeed. Highly recommended for those who love great acting.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Recommended

Fine French drama, superb acting, subtle script - all as expected, my only slight disapppointment is that the story did not somehow evolved. Here we have two intelligent people who evidently love each other, but are not able to hear and understand one another, and cannot express their love. But then they are just a bit too civilized about the whole thing which makes even ugly scenes a bit misleading. The story line goes a bit too promptly and casually from initial irritation Anne with Pierre to divorce, almost like marriage's disintegration has already hapenned behind the scenes and the viewers are given short cut version. But perhaps that was the idea: 'It's nothing specific. Just a lot of little things.'

As one character says, 'With a couple, one suffers and the other one's bored, and vice versa.'