THE BIG PICTURE/ L'HOMME QUI VOULAIT VIVRE SA VIE

France, 2010, 140 minutes, Colour.
Romain Duris, Marina Fois, Niles Arrestrup, Catherine Deneuve, Branka Katic, Eric Ruf.
Directed by Eric Lartigau.

The Big Picture is an entertaining French drama with a high-powered cast. Romain Duris has become one of the mainstays of the French film industry, here portraying a man working in a law firm, suspicious of his wife having affair, not wanting to be a father, not wanting to work in the law. Catherine Deneuve is his partner in the law firm.

Paul suspects his wife is having an affair with a photographer and, when she leaves, fights Gregoire because it is true. Paul has envied the life of the photographer, and in a scuffle, kills him, taking his money, taking the body are to sea, throwing it out and burning the yacht that he has taken.

When he tells his wife that is going to Hungary on business, he instead goes to Montenegro, assuming the photographer’s identity and name, becoming a success as a photographer himself, only to find that a pushy editor makes him a star, an exhibition and acclaim.

When Paul realises that he is getting too much exposure, he sails to Italy, encounters a stowaway who takes his photos of the pirates who attacked the boat. The question at the end of the film is what will Paul do now, new identity, further escapes?

1. A French drama, French style? Melodrama, fantasy?

2. The French locations, home, office, the sea, the escape? Exotic locations in Montenegro? Italy? The musical score?

3. The strong cast, their careers?

4. Paul’s story, working in the law firm, his relationship with Sarah, as a father, his wealth? His being the hero of his story, but presented as edgy, suspicious? His wife and the affair, the separation, finding out the affair was happening? The picture of marriage, infidelity? The business world? Paul and his working with Anne, her talking about her death, offering him her shares in the business?

5. Gregoire and Sarah, the affair, Paul envying Gregoire, his career, photographer? Paul and his suspicions, the fight, Gregoire’s death? Paul taking care of disposing of the body, taking Paul’s money, going to sea, the body overboard, his taking the yacht and burning it? His lies to Sarah about going to Hungary business?

6. Paul and his interest in photography, developing it, taking on Gregoire’s identity in Montenegro, a new life, a career? Bartheleme and his visit, somewhat overbearing, his interest in the photography, his work as an editor, promoting Paul, arranging the exhibition? Paul and the attraction to Ivana, the pictures editor?

7. Paul feeling that he was becoming too public, escaping, burning the car, at sea, the stowaway, the pirates, his taking pictures of the pirates, the stowaway taking them, their arrival in Italy, seeing the stowaway promoting the pictures?

8. Paul watching, smiling, walking away – what different future, what escapes?