Les Amants Du Pont-Neuf
1991
In building a replica of the famed Parisian Pont-Neuf bridge, Carax's film became the most expensive French film ever produced, up to that point. This budget controversy threatened to overshadow the film itself, which has slowly begun to garner the proper recognition it deserves (thanks to Martin Scorsese and Miramax's American .. Read more
| Starring | Juliette Binoche, Denis Lavant, Edith Scob |
|---|---|
| Director | Leos Carax |
| Genres | Drama, Romance, World Cinema |
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Les Amants Du Pont-Neuf
In building a replica of the famed Parisian Pont-Neuf bridge, Carax's film became the most expensive French film ever produced, up to that point. This budget controversy threatened to overshadow the film itself, which has slowly begun to garner the proper recognition it deserves (thanks to Martin Scorsese and Miramax's American rerelease in the summer of '99). Lavant portrays Alex, a drug-addicted, fire eating homeless man who lives on the deserted bridge, which is being restored for the French Revolution Bicentennial Celebration. When Michele stumbles into his life, a desperate, passionate relationship unfolds. Michele is an artist who is losing her eyesight due to a bizarre disease. But plot isn't the issue here. The sheer visual spectacle is. Shifting from brutal documentary to romantic melodrama to surrealism, Carax's THE LOVERS ON THE BRIDGE is an electric, powerful, poetic picture.
| Starring | Juliette Binoche, Denis Lavant, Edith Scob |
|---|---|
| Director | Leos Carax |
| Studio | ARROW FILMS |
| Run time | DVD: 2 hrs |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama, Romance, World Cinema |
| Language | DVD: French |
| Subtitles | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: 30 Jul 2001 Production year: 1991 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (3)
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This is a classic example of the kind of flashy French film whose MTV-inspired visuals and sound-bite dialogue earned them the nickname “cinema du look” for the emphasis on style over content. Writer/director Leos Carax strains to make a grand statement, but ends up trapped between his attempts to explore the social realities of France during the bicentenary of its Revolution, and his genius for opulent set pieces, like the water-skiing sequence with its glorious firework accompaniment. The scenes on Paris's oldest bridge between Juliette Binoche, an artist losing her sight, and injured fire-eater Denis Lavant are more often pretentious than touching, but the film is still worth a look.
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An anti-romantic love story: grim, grey and ultimately boring with its uninteresting characters upstaged by the locations.
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Most helpful member's review
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37 out of 44 people found this review helpful
A masterpiece of French cinema
In 1989 Pont-Neuf over the Seine was closed for 2 years for urgent repairs. It became a haven for dropouts and for the location of this harrowing story. A flame thrower cum petty thief Alex (Denis Lavant) forms a bond with Michèle (Juliette Binoche) a painter with a serious eye complaint.
She doesn't have to live rough, but she has been obsessed by Julien, a former lover, and has been searching the streets and metro to find him.
Alex has been seriously touched by drugs, and throughout we are aware of his unstable condition. Alex and Michèle hijack a racing boat and an exhilarating water-surfing scene follows. They turn to fund raising - there is considerable humour in some of their petty crimes.
Realism is present in some scenes - near-fatal accidents, the drunks on the last bus home; some scenes are surreal: the metro deserted like a ghost.
The staging and photography are spectacular and the acting superb; this is a masterwork.
After the stark beginning you could not believe that there was any chance for a psychotic ex-addict and a girl losing her sight. I won't spoil an excellent story - let's just say, there is hope. -
Most recent members' review
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39 out of 74 people found this review helpful
One of my favourite french films
This film is brilliant, I really enjoyed the fact that it has real emotion, and centres around a couple of down and outs who develop a somewhat unconventional relationship, whilst living on a bridge in Paris. It has all the landmarks of french film - beautiful cinematography, a lovely storyline, emotional depth, plenty of humour, and excellent acting from the lead characters. I became totally emotionally involved with the story as it unfolded, laughed, cried and was almost upset when it finished as i enjoyed it so much (oh, yes, and my husband loved it to, so it's not just one for the girls)
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In building a replica of the famed Parisian Pont-Neuf bridge, Carax's film became the most expensive French film ever produced, up to that point. This budget controversy threatened to overshadow the ... -