In "Bitter Moon", Roman Polanski charts, with mathematical precision, the different stages of a strange, sadomasochistic love-hate relationship between two people: passion, jealousy, indifference, contempt, cruelty, retribution, (apparent) acceptance. He is also dealing with the power of narration per se ("You make me sick!" - "Then why are you still here?"); it really does feel like you're seeing the pages of a book turning on screen, but with the bonus of Polanski's directorial imagination. It is a weird, disquieting, sometimes funny, and thoroughly absorbing film. The casting for all four main roles could hardly be any better. *** out of 4.
Review of Bitter Moon
