Purely Joyful Movie!

Better Late Then Never

Best movie ever!

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

This movie bears the unique French touch provided by the flawless acting by Dupontel under an outstanding director. The spectator is shaken at the start of the movie but the director knows how to play with our emotions, finishing in great beauty with the magnificent song from Serge Reggiani "Le temps qui reste"

Antoine is rude, terrible rude and why? Has he put himself in a position, or being put, which he hardly, which he only can handle by behaving as he does: nothing to loose? Fed up to play the game which we all play, each one according the part destiny tells us to play? Antoine seems nothing to lose, telling on his birthday his friends and family what he thinks. A friend of his wife sees him with a woman. His girlfriend? Really? As he tells his wife: it is not what it looks like.And looking guilty. Hesitating to tell his accusing wife the truth. He leaves in his posh car. Behind: his career, his wealth, his family. On his way to Ireland and a visit to his father he should have visited years ago. In the last minute of the film, as in the book, the why-answer is given and the after text reveals more. Him, playing in the garden with his children, his wife looking through the window at the scene and remembering this scene when her husbands father tells her the truth. The actor knows of course the reason of her husband strange behavior. During the birthday party she looks puzzled at her husband: and reveals what she, the actor, knows and should not know. The apparent lover is not only a friend and more .... Antoine is honest. As a father should be and seldom is. But rude honesty crosses the line of decency he as member of society should be respected - which he doesn't but should.Otherwise we are barbarians, following nature and deny what humanity has achieved. Many receive the information Antoine receives. Some react as he does. Some deny. Some are ... Deux jour à tuer, the films title. Tuer means 'to kill': He 'kills' not only the weekend but does not accept achieved tradition of decency. The movie is a book, following, guided by the author, the book. We see what we see but it is only the peak of the truth.

I found this film predictable and quite boring so I was quite happy that it was not too long. There are few moments quite funny but in the complex the story is not very well binded. The start of the film is on my opinion also the best moment of the film, so you expect from that moment a crescendo that unfortunately never arrives. In summary the protagonist, with a good work and perfect family, start to behave quite strangely, apparently without a reason. He criticize the system and society which he is part of. That is, indeed, easily criticizable, with many clichés that contribute to make a mediocre movie. The only good points of the film are, on my opinion, the good actors and, in the final part, the photography.

What a film!!! Without saying too much about the film, this is a punch in the face. French cinema is still a safe bet for watching quality movies, and obviously, Jean Becker, is one of the greatest directors. This film talks about a man who starts to change his own life suddenly. In a few hours we'll see how a man is tired of his own life, acts like he was insane with family and friends and all he wants is disappear and stop to being tired and bored. It must not be easy to represent this self-destructive man without falling into parody or into an absurd sense of humor what we'll see him with a constant sensation of uncomfortableness. And what about the last half hour. I cannot explain because this film deserves to watch without knowing too much about the plot, but there's pure cinema in it. Good acting, good scriptwriting and specially, an excellent direction. This films deserves to watch it quietly, without rush. A must see.