loading...
The Lover
1992
In the Indo-China of the 1920's, a 15 year old French schoolgirl and a wealthy Chinese man more than twice her age are thrown together by a twist of fate. It is a moment of instant attraction and before long the couple find themselves caught up in an affair of uncontrollable desires. But this is a forbidden love... Read more
| Starring | Jane March, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Frederique Meininger, Jeanne Moreau |
|---|---|
| Director | Jean-Jacques Annaud |
| Genres | Drama |
loading...
-
Critics' reviews (2)
View all -
Jean-Jacques Annaud (The Name Of The Rose, Seven Years in Tibet) raised a few eyebrows back in 1992 with this steamy tale of a girl's sexual awakening in 1920s' Indo-China. Based on Marguerite Duras's novel, it did feature young star Jane March in various states of undress, but there was really nothing much to get steamed up about. March plays a 15-year-old schoolgirl who ends up losing more than her inhibitions with older man Tony Leung — cue lots of exploration in darkened rooms, a voice-over by Jeanne Moreau, and a few deep and meaningful moments which March is too out of her (acting) depth to be able to convey.
-
Late '20s Indo-China. A 15-year-old schoolgirl leans wistfully on the rail of a ferryboat crossing the Mekong.... read more on Time Out
-
Most helpful members' reviews (3)
View all -
20 out of 21 people found this review helpful
A Sensual Movie With A Difference
It's not often I get to see a movie like this. The story of The Lover potrays a most complex and provocative relationship between a young French girl (Jane March) and a Chinaman (Tony Leung). The two lovers' attraction towards each other are purely physical, but there are a lot of psychological burdens and suffering that they can't break free from, since the two of them are psychologically washed-up people who lives within the shackles of society that they live in. At times they treat each other cruelly while at times they treat each other with tender affection, yet we don't know whether they feel true love for each other or not. That's where the story gets very interesting and different.
The sex scenes are indeed graphic, but by no means done in bad taste or just for the sake of sex. The film is much more than about lust, it is about two lovers who found refuge in each other's arms. Jane March and Tony Leung gave great performances, showing the subtleties of conflicting emotions that they had to endure. Beautifully paced storyline with great atmosphere and soundtrack will make this a worthwhile movie experience. Very highly recommended -
8 out of 10 people found this review helpful
My Lover
I guess I saw this film when it came out in the early nineties, and had forgotten about it until noticing it here – I can’t imagine it’s been shown on the telly. The good points about it are: the beautifully filmed location – presumably in the Vietnam in which it is set; and the equally beautiful Jane March :o)
The bad points are quite basic. The acting, especially from the main characters – both speak with zero expression, maybe so that the film can be dubbed. The narration from Jeanne Moreau is also rather irritating – she makes it sound as though she is reading from a book. One of the most glaring inconsistencies was at the start of the first love scene – the author says he ‘tore the dress from the girl’, when on film he did nothing on the sort.
As said, a beautiful film to watch, but I suggest it wouldn’t harm to watch with the sound turned down! -
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful
uncomfortable viewing
At the start of the film, Jane March states that she is 15 years old although on meeting Tony Leung's character, she lies and tells him she is 17. This is therefore, not just a tale of a sexual relationship between a teenager and a man old enough to be her father, but of illicit unage sex. Working in a school, where I am contracted to protect pupils from abuse, I cringed watching the scence where Leung's hand gradually approaches the girl's knee, and was even more uncomfortable with the girl's sexual precociousness - this is like a Vietnamese 'Lolita'. There is also an undertone of Lesbianism. The dialogue is corny, the story weak - it's one saving grace is the scenery and that it is artistically shot. I rented this expecting a sweet and maybe humorous love story. Don't make the same mistake.
-
Most recent members' reviews (2)
View all -
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful
uncomfortable viewing
At the start of the film, Jane March states that she is 15 years old although on meeting Tony Leung's character, she lies and tells him she is 17. This is therefore, not just a tale of a sexual relationship between a teenager and a man old enough to be her father, but of illicit unage sex. Working in a school, where I am contracted to protect pupils from abuse, I cringed watching the scence where Leung's hand gradually approaches the girl's knee, and was even more uncomfortable with the girl's sexual precociousness - this is like a Vietnamese 'Lolita'. There is also an undertone of Lesbianism. The dialogue is corny, the story weak - it's one saving grace is the scenery and that it is artistically shot. I rented this expecting a sweet and maybe humorous love story. Don't make the same mistake.
-
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Good
I understood the charachters more and more as the movie progressed. 2 different people come across and share phyical intimacy and the emotions are beautifully acted.......the cold innocence mixed with maturity of the french girl and the passionate, insecure and longing chinese man. It was a different story, may be not a pleasant viewing but was good.
-
20 out of 21 people found this review helpful
A Sensual Movie With A Difference
It's not often I get to see a movie like this. The story of The Lover potrays a most complex and provocative relationship between a young French girl (Jane March) and a Chinaman (Tony Leung). The two lovers' attraction towards each other are purely physical, but there are a lot of psychological burdens and suffering that they can't break free from, since the two of them are psychologically washed-up people who lives within the shackles of society that they live in. At times they treat each other cruelly while at times they treat each other with tender affection, yet we don't know whether they feel true love for each other or not. That's where the story gets very interesting and different.
The sex scenes are indeed graphic, but by no means done in bad taste or just for the sake of sex. The film is much more than about lust, it is about two lovers who found refuge in each other's arms. Jane March and Tony Leung gave great performances, showing the subtleties of conflicting emotions that they had to endure. Beautifully paced storyline with great atmosphere and soundtrack will make this a worthwhile movie experience. Very highly recommended -
8 out of 10 people found this review helpful
My Lover
I guess I saw this film when it came out in the early nineties, and had forgotten about it until noticing it here – I can’t imagine it’s been shown on the telly. The good points about it are: the beautifully filmed location – presumably in the Vietnam in which it is set; and the equally beautiful Jane March :o)
The bad points are quite basic. The acting, especially from the main characters – both speak with zero expression, maybe so that the film can be dubbed. The narration from Jeanne Moreau is also rather irritating – she makes it sound as though she is reading from a book. One of the most glaring inconsistencies was at the start of the first love scene – the author says he ‘tore the dress from the girl’, when on film he did nothing on the sort.
As said, a beautiful film to watch, but I suggest it wouldn’t harm to watch with the sound turned down! -
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful
uncomfortable viewing
At the start of the film, Jane March states that she is 15 years old although on meeting Tony Leung's character, she lies and tells him she is 17. This is therefore, not just a tale of a sexual relationship between a teenager and a man old enough to be her father, but of illicit unage sex. Working in a school, where I am contracted to protect pupils from abuse, I cringed watching the scence where Leung's hand gradually approaches the girl's knee, and was even more uncomfortable with the girl's sexual precociousness - this is like a Vietnamese 'Lolita'. There is also an undertone of Lesbianism. The dialogue is corny, the story weak - it's one saving grace is the scenery and that it is artistically shot. I rented this expecting a sweet and maybe humorous love story. Don't make the same mistake.
-
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Good
I understood the charachters more and more as the movie progressed. 2 different people come across and share phyical intimacy and the emotions are beautifully acted.......the cold innocence mixed with maturity of the french girl and the passionate, insecure and longing chinese man. It was a different story, may be not a pleasant viewing but was good.
-
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Very Good on the eye
It was thoroughly enjoyable the acting was good all round. I had never seen Jane March before but she should have a big big future. The way she played the scenes was a pleasure
-
Jane march - excellent actress
I loved this film. I have watched this film few years ago and I absolutely loved it. It is good for people who like this kind of films. It is full of sex but it is watchable as story is quite good.
-
Worth it for the bottom!
What an utterly gorgeous & very sad film. Beautiful camera shots & you really feel involved in the emotion in it. Watch out for the delicious bottom.
-
romance
i loved this movie. the forbidden love. a lot of sex in this movie but ecery scene with it was excellent and not unecessary
-
I'll keep it close to my heart
It was so beautiful. And sad. Wonderful music. I love this film.
-
Very pleasant viewing
This tells the story of a young girl who falls in love with a much older man. As expected, it turned out that they split up after some torrid lovemaking.
Critics' reviews (2)
-
Jean-Jacques Annaud (The Name Of The Rose, Seven Years in Tibet) raised a few eyebrows back in 1992 with this steamy tale of a girl's sexual awakening in 1920s' Indo-China. Based on Marguerite Duras's novel, it did feature young star Jane March in various states of undress, but there was really nothing much to get steamed up about. March plays a 15-year-old schoolgirl who ends up losing more than her inhibitions with older man Tony Leung — cue lots of exploration in darkened rooms, a voice-over by Jeanne Moreau, and a few deep and meaningful moments which March is too out of her (acting) depth to be able to convey.
-
Late '20s Indo-China. A 15-year-old schoolgirl leans wistfully on the rail of a ferryboat crossing the Mekong.... read more on Time Out
Buy from the LOVEFiLM shop
Related user collection
Love forever (4)
Celebrity collection
Jamie Foxx (7)
74.6% from 42 members
