LE WEEKEND

UK, 2013, 97 minutes, Colour.
Jim Broadbent, Lindsay Duncan, Jeff Goldblum.
Directed by Roger Michel.

Le Weekend has received very good reviews. It is designed for an older audience, probably those who enjoyed The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Quartet. While it is put forward as a comedy, there is an edge to the film. Trying to find a word that would describe its sharpness and its pleasantness, the result would probably be ‘bittersweet’. And, with the British background, ‘bitter’ wins out many times.

The film has a literary background. The screenplay was written by Hanif Kaneishi, novelist and screenwriter whose films include My Beautiful Launderette and The Buddha of Suburbia. He is working again with the director of The Buddha of Suburbia, Roger Michel, well known for such films as Notting Hill.

Nick and his wife have been married for 30 years. He lectures in philosophy at a university college but has been fired because of inappropriate remarks to a foreign student. They have a son who sponges on them. A lot of the spark seems to have gone out of the marriage. They decide to rekindle their love by going back to Paris for a weekend.

The film is effective through the performances of Jim Broadbent and Lindsay Duncan as the couple.

Because the action of the film takes place over two days, we have a great number of ups and downs in the relationship, affection one moment, irritation the next, the desire to walk out, tender moments of reconciliation. To that extent, the screenplay seems to be rather contrived, trying to put as many episodes in the running time as possible. Which means that the relationships and the tensions move too quickly as to be entirely credible.

A lot of the time is taken in going to a hotel, finding it undesirable, booking into an expensive hotel, scouting other restaurants, scrimping at one moment, paying up at others. And there are plenty of irritation scenes to go with it, making the audience continually wonder whether the marriage can be saved.

Then an unexpected character turns up, a friend from Nick’s student days, someone who has admired him and has presumed that Nick’s professional life has been unending success. He invites Nick and his wife to a party which is filled with left-bank intellectuals and academics from the Sorbonne. The friend, Morgan, is played enthusiastically by Jeff Goldblum.

The film then takes an even more serious tone with some conversation sequences, especially Morgan pouring out his admiration for Nick, toasting him at the dinner, then an important speech by Nick outlining the failure of his life. In the meantime, his wife has accepted an invitation to have a drink with one of the intellectuals after the party and has overheard Nick in another important conversation, this time with Morgan’s young son from America. The wife also makes a short speech at the dinner table, which contains a nicely subtle acknowledgement of her love for her husband.

It is not quite over yet, the couple finding that they do not have enough money to pay their extravagant hotel bill. Morgan again to the rescue. His zest communicates itself to the down-and-out couple.

This is a film which middle aged and older couples may well identify with, reflecting on their lives, on their marriage, high points and low points and the possibilities for failure or continuing success. (A caution for some older audiences who might find some of the language off-putting.)

1. A film for older audiences? Experience of life, marriage, success and failure, family? Crises and hope for the future?

2. The title, the French overtones, Paris, the French weekend in tradition? Love, lovers, bonding? The weekend for healing, for re-kindling love?

3. The visuals of Paris, the landmarks, the streets, Sacre Coeur, the hotels, restaurants? The musical score?

4. The writer and his career? His perspectives? Edge? The director and his career? Comedy and serious films?

5. The trip, the train, the passengers, Meg and Nick, the issue of the euros, indications of tension? The camp, the euros for speeding through Paris, Meg’s exhilaration, Nick’s apprehension? The old hotel, the beige room, their argument, leaving?

6. Going to the new hotel, there being no room, the special situation, the suite, the luxury, their hopes?

7. Jim Broadbent as Nick, age, lecturing, philosophy, the marriage to Meg, the years passing, the anniversary, his attitude towards his son, bludging on his parents, watching television, the phone calls? His being fired, the inappropriate comments to the foreign student? 30 years of marriage, up’s and downs, love for Meg, the accusation that of the earlier relationship with the student? In Paris, being tentative, cautious, the meals, going out, her paying, running, the extravagance and its effect? The encounter with Morgan in the street, his seeing the couple kiss, the invitation to the party, back in the hotel, sexual relationship, kissing, talking, touching? Meg and her change of moods? Dressing for the party, their arrival, talking with Morgan, Morgan’s tribute to him, the speech and the toast, his own speech, after discussion with Michael, understanding Morgan better, his awkwardness with his son, his wives? The discussion about love being difficult, not sex? Smoking the pot? Maggie and her speech, his response? The return, the mess at the hotel, not enough money, Morgan coming to the rescue? Dancing?

8. Meg, her life, her manner, tensions, her control? The anniversary and the trip? Her barbed comments, the hotel, speeding through Paris, the beige room, the new hotel, looking at the prices and restaurants? Talking, change of moods, loving, not? Her needs, touching, not wanting to be touched, talking of leaving, not leaving? The ups and downs of their love? Dressing for the party? The party itself, the guests, on the balcony and her agreeing to the later drink date, hearing Nick and his discussion with Michael, listening to the speeches, her own speech, telling her friend that she was not speaking about a lover but about her husband? The final money mess? Morgan coming, the dancing?

9. Morgan, meeting in the street, his style, his amazement, the invitation, the party, the guests, the launch of the book, the publishers? His discussions with Nick? Admiring him? Remembering the past, assuming Nick’s achievement? The tribute speech, the toast? His new wife, their relationship? His lack of a relationship with his son? Listening to Nick, his sense of failure, the end of the party? Meg and Nick and their financial difficulties, his coming to the rescue? The dancing?

10. Michael, the young son, his mother and her suicide attempt, his lack of a relationship with his father, coming to visit in Paris, out of the party, smoking pot, the discussions with Nick? His admiration?

11. The new wife, Meg talking with her, the bitter remarks, bonding? Her speech for her husband?

12. The background of academic society, lecturers from the Sorbonne, the publishers, and an elitist attitude?

13. Paris, the staffs of the hotel, the atmosphere for visitors?

14. The film as bittersweet?