The Big Picture details

The Big Picture
Formats: 15 DVD, Blu-ray
Starring: Romain Duris, Catherine Deneuve, Marina Fois, Niels Arestrup
Director: Eric Lartigau
Genres: Drama - General, World Cinema - French
Studio: FUSION MEDIA SALES
Original title L'homme qui voulait vivre sa vie
Name Discs
The Big Picture
15 Feature

DVD Information

Run time: 1 hour 54 minutes
Rental release: 09 Jan 2012
Main languages: French
Subtitles: English
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Most helpful review The Big Picture

  • Brilliantly gripping

    Rated - 4.0 stars  
    By quintus (52 reviews) from Witney , 14 Aug 2011

    [Highly rated reviewer]

    This is a really terrific film with an absolutely outstanding performance by Romain Duris at its centre. The plot is not unfamiliar - a successful man who extinguishes his identity and takes that of another man, leaving behind his own life altogether - but its execution is so meticulous in the details that it feels entirely fresh and exciting. And it's not just the practicalities of reinvention that the film takes seriously but its emotional impact - and Duris conveys wonderfully the utter loneliness of the man who leaves everything he loves as well as his wild freedom. Gripping, and with a great twist at the end.
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All reviews

(25)
  • Read the book, forget the film!

    Rated - 1.0 star  
    By MarkA68 (4 reviews) , 04 Feb 2013
    This is based on one of my favourite books and I was concerned from the outset about taking an upwardly mobile American and transplanting him into France. Sure enough, the film lacks the character development and roller coaster tension of the novel, goes completely off piste and the ending is new and contrived. Massive disappointment. I hope an American studio does it justice in years to come...
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  • Great, BUT...

    Rated - 3.0 stars  
    By a customer , 11 Dec 2012
    Great film, although the first part of the story is a bit contrived. But the film gets better, The acting and soundtrack is great. The end is a bit of a disappointing.
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  • Should Have Been a Bigger Picture....

    Rated - 3.5 stars  
    By McMalaga (6 reviews) , 30 Nov 2012
    I'm beginning to see a pattern here. This, like 'The Woman in the Fifth', was adapted from a book by Douglas Kennedy and it suffers from a similar, though not quite so pronounced weakness - terrific build-up and scene-setting spoilt by a somewhat lame conclusion. However, I would still recommend it because Romain Duris, despite his furtive and occasionally rodent like appearance is magnetic in every scene and is supported admirably by Niels Arestrup who is not quite the hapless drunk we are first led to believe. Art house thriller with some comic lines - definitely worth the effort but could and should so easily have been 4. 5/5 stars.
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  • Worth a watch but could have been better

    Rated - 3.0 stars  
    By a customer , 14 Oct 2012
    First half of the film was pretty good but the story drifted a bit second half & thought it ended a bit abruptly.
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  • Très bon

    Rated - 3.5 stars  
    By buffyrules (335 reviews) from southend on sea , 17 Sep 2012
    Really impressive film that was gripping and well acted. It did drift a little and had slight pacing issues but did not detract from a compelling piece with excellent lead performances. I was particularly impressed with the way it ended refusing to indulge and become predictable. Bravo!
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