PETITES COUPURES (SMALL CUTS)

France, 2002, 95 minutes, Colour.
Daniel Auteuil, Kristen Scott Thomas, Pascal Bussieres, Ludovine Sagnier, Jean Yanne, Catherine Muchet, Emmanuel Devos.
Directed by Pascal Bonitzer.

Small Cuts is what one might call "a French film". The film is peopled by fragile characters, moving in and out of relationships, wanting some kind of fidelity, wandering into infidelity, afraid of commitment. It focuses on a middle-aged man (and the director indicates themes of Dante and mid-life crisis) who is in relationship with his partner but breaks it off, takes up with a very immature teenager, is attracted by a political secretary, and wandering in a forest (like Dante) meets a very strange Beatrice who seems to have the possibility of leading him further along his life journey.

There is a lot of silence, a lot of intense looks, a lot of driving in a car.

Daniel Auteuil is expert at this kind of role and has become one of the central French stars of French cinema. Kristen Scott Thomas, who lives in France, is Beatrice and is required to play a part that is extraordinarily complex, at times scarcely credible. She has to indicate intensity, lightness, mood changes, a touch of craziness. Ludovine Sagnier (the young girl in 8 Women) pouts expertly as the teenager. Pascal Bussieres is all business until attracted by the man. Emmanuelle Devos is his partner.

One wonders after watching a film like this whether, after all, it is fairly inconsequential. If it is consequential, one wonders what the meaning should be, the unexpectedness of life, the challenges to grow, the importance of love - and it reminds us that the French invented amour fou.

1. The impact of the film? A typical French film? Characters, interactions, dilemmas, fidelity and infidelity, commitment and love, violence, killing and suicide? The consequences of these ingredients?

2. The Paris settings, the open road, the Rhone Alps area, the mountains and the snow, the villages, the castle in the dark, the shrine of La Salette? The musical score? Contributing to the mood?

3. The quotation from Dante, mid-life, the journey of life, finding oneself in the dark forest, the straight path lost, searching - and a Beatrice as guide? How well did this apply to Small Cuts?

4. The title, Bruno and his cutting his hand, the other injuries which were physical? The emotional cuts? Each character in relationship, fidelity and infidelity, cutting themselves off, cutting themselves emotionally?

5. The opening with Nathalie and her meeting Gaelle? The lipstick, the cigarettes, the borrowings? Her knowing the truth? Unaware, immature? The impact on Gaelle, understanding the truth about her relationship with Bruno?

6. Bruno, the background of his writing, his relationship with Gaelle, his flirtations and affairs? His confrontation with Gaelle in the travel agency, cutting his hand? His going to see his uncle, the secretary and Nathalie accompanying him? His relationship with his uncle, the communist background, helping him with his speeches? His uncle and his ageing? Fear of defeat? His Aunt Anne, her taking him to see her pictures, explaining her infidelity? The mission to give the letter to the rival, accidents, being lost, encountering Beatrice? Intrigued by her? The family situation, her stepfather, the death of her mother, her relationship with her stepfather, marriage? The other members of the family, the money? His driving with Beatrice, the forest, the castle, the carving on the wall? The owl, the white lady and her fear? His being intrigued, attracted? The sexual response? Her frankness? The accident on the road, her driving off, returning? The bar, the woman and her husband, the challenge to Bruno, his being spat on? His hearing about Nathalie's accident, going to see her in the hospital? The airport scene, Gaelle and her return, with someone else? The secretary and the kiss in the back of the car, the parked car? His chance encounter with Beatrice, the effect on the secretary, her slapping him? The husband, shooting Bruno? His surviving, going to Beatrice's husband's funeral, the encounter, her wanting to say au revoir, his wanting to say adieu? His experiences - and his future?

7. Beatrice, her mysterious background, place in the family, the jealousies? Her taking Bruno for the drive, the castle, the owl, the writing on the wall? The attraction, her confusion? Her leading him on, teasing, then abruptly turning away, talking about her prudishness? The explanation of the relationship with her stepfather? The affair, her mother and the death? The accident, driving off, her fears? Going to the café, her slapping the man who spat on Bruno? Taking him back, her talk about killing her husband, joking or truth? Bruno coming down, thinking of turning off the oxygen, so influenced by Beatrice, her watching him? The chance encounter at the hospital, explanations? The funeral, her separating herself from Bruno - but the possibility of their meeting again?

8. Gaelle, the communist background, her relationship with Bruno, support, her hostile mother? Going off, the scene in the travel agency, her anger with Nathalie? The return, the new man in her life?

9. Nathalie, age, experience, in relationship, borrowing things, the scene with Gaelle in the street, her relationship with Bruno, her going with him in the car, awkward at Gerard's place, overhearing Bruno's brutal assessment of the relationship in talking with Anne, going off with Simon, the accident, the visit in hospital, her acknowledging the truth?

10. Mathilde, the buttoned-up secretary, accompanying Bruno, the attraction, her husband, the kiss in the back of the car, the interruption, meeting Beatrice, the slap? The consequences with Bruno being shot?

11. Gerard, ageing, the communist background, the mayor, fearing defeat, unable to do anything else, not wanting to be in the opposition? The broken relationship with Anne, her health, going to meet her doctor? Her frank talk with Bruno?

12. Verekher and Beatrice, the stepfather on the oxygen machine, the background to the relationship? The temptation to turn it off? His death?

13. Simon, his justice concerns, his reaction to his father, going off with Nathalie, the accident?

14. A cross-section of French people, ordinary yet different lives, relationships and the effect of small cuts?