This film, from director Michael Haneke, follows various characters involved in a relatively minor incident in Paris. Teenager Jean has left his home in rural France and headed to Paris to live with his older brother Georges. Georges is a war photographer and is out of the country but he meets Georges' actress girlfriend, Anne, and she buys him a pastry before heading to work. Shortly afterwards Jean, in frustration, throws his paper bag into the lap of a Romanian beggar woman. He is then confronted by Amadou, the son of Malian immigrants who wants him to apologise to the woman. Shortly afterwards the police turn up; Amadou is briefly arrested and the woman is deported.
We are then shown insights into the lives of these characters and the people close to them following this event. Few of these events seem to be linked with the event and many show trivial events like Anne doing the ironing and Jean's father ploughing a field. Others are more dramatic, such as when Anne is tormented by a youth while riding on the Paris Metro. There are also scenes from productions Anne in involved in... it isn't always immediately obvious that we are watching a film within a film.
This is a rather odd film as there is no plot to speak of; just a series of events. This may appeal to some people but is likely to put off just as many. To be honest I'm not sure where I stand; at times I was gripped with the lives of these people and at others I thought it was getting too pretentious as scenes where nothing really happened dragged on. Everything is film in a very natural way, there is no music unless that music is actually present for the characters as well as viewers. The natural feel is helped by an impressive cast that makes it easy to believe that we are watching real people. Overall I'd say this was ones for fans of 'art house' films; those demanding a plot and an obvious denouement may wish to avoid it.
We are then shown insights into the lives of these characters and the people close to them following this event. Few of these events seem to be linked with the event and many show trivial events like Anne doing the ironing and Jean's father ploughing a field. Others are more dramatic, such as when Anne is tormented by a youth while riding on the Paris Metro. There are also scenes from productions Anne in involved in... it isn't always immediately obvious that we are watching a film within a film.
This is a rather odd film as there is no plot to speak of; just a series of events. This may appeal to some people but is likely to put off just as many. To be honest I'm not sure where I stand; at times I was gripped with the lives of these people and at others I thought it was getting too pretentious as scenes where nothing really happened dragged on. Everything is film in a very natural way, there is no music unless that music is actually present for the characters as well as viewers. The natural feel is helped by an impressive cast that makes it easy to believe that we are watching real people. Overall I'd say this was ones for fans of 'art house' films; those demanding a plot and an obvious denouement may wish to avoid it.