BY THE SEA

US, 2015, 122 minutes, Colour.
Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie Pitt, Melanie Laurent, Nils Arestrup, Melvil Poupaud, Richard Bohringer.
Directed by Angelina Jolie Pitt.

One of the experiences while watching this film is to find a word that would pinpoint its impact. One of the word choices was “languid” or, to be more precise, “very languid”, or “tres, tres, the languid”. It is one of those films judged by those who are addicted to action pace: “slow”.

The film is set in France, although it was filmed in Malta, standing in for France – beautiful countryside, the roads, the mountains, the bay, the sea, the cliffs, the village and the villa… At the opening, audiences introduced to the central couple, Vanessa and Roland, driving through this beautiful scenery, going to the luxury villa, settling into their apartment. But, all is not well. Roland gets out his typewriter, tries to write but has a writer’s block. Vanessa seems particularly listless.

Over two hours, we share the experience with the couple, something of a novella prolonged into the two-hour film.

Days go by, she staying at home, reading a book she doesn’t like, doing some sunbaking, wearing her wide-brimmed hat, sometimes going for a walk, and not particularly responsive when Roland comes home each evening. He spends his time in the bar, trying to write, still blocked. He drinks.

There are two agreeable characters at the bar, Michel the manager, Nils Arestrup, whose wife is dead, whose memory he cherishes, who listens to Roland, and tries to give him advice, especially about his drinking. And there is Patrice, the old owner of the bar who sits, watches, eats, plays chess with Michel.

Then a young couple on their honeymoon take the next apartment, Melanie Laurent and Melvil Poupaud. They are friendly – but do not know that there is a peep hole from one apartment to the other, discovered by Vanessa, watching through it a great deal, and with the audience, sharing prurient curiosity. Eventually Roland discovers it and he and his wife share a great deal of gazing at the life of the other couple, especially the more intimate parts of their life, their talk, nudity, the sexual relationship.

And all the time and there are quick edited glimpses of some kind of traumatic experience that Vanessa has had – and which the audience may well suspect almost from the beginning.

Roland is exasperated with his wife, sometimes trying hard to build the lost love, sometimes just giving. And she often gives up as well. They share some experiences with the couple next door, sailing, playing cards, going shopping.

Ultimately, there is some tension leading to a final confrontation and truth-telling, especially Roland speaking bluntly to Vanessa. Whether this is what she needs in her depression could be discussed but, ultimately, there is some effect, even hope.

Speaking of prurient curiosity, this is inevitable with Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt as the stars, the producers, and Angelina Jolie (several times in the credits referred to as Angelina Jolie Pitt, and even in the final credits as Mrs Jolie Pitt) writing and directing. And the niggling question: does this reflect their real-life relationship? It must be said that Angelina Jolie, quiet voice, listless, depressed, is the exact opposite of Lara Croft and some of her more vigorous characters. So, a drama that probably owes more to French cinema of the 1950s and 60s and to the existential portrait of characters, lost and found, of Italian Michelangelo Antonioni.

Languid as we watch it – but much of it stays in the memory.

1. The work of Angelina Jolie, her career, acting, star, awards, moving into direction? Her relationship with Brad Pitt, work together, life together?

2. Influence of the French Nouvelle Vague, Michelangelo Antonioni? The use of French language? Audiences accepting this – hostility from American audiences? The couple and their lives and reputation? Subtitles?

3. The Maltese locations for France, the bay, the sea, the village, the villa, bars, sailing, the cliffs? The musical score?

4. The title, the experience of Vanessa, Roland, his novel gathering together varied experiences and the characters they met?

5. Audience interest in the characters, American, husband and wife, wealthy, their culture, her background as a dancer, his being a writer, the mystery about their lives and their relationship? The arrival, the scenery, the car, the roads? Settling into the room? She generally remaining at the villa, his going out, the daily returns, the nights?

6. Michel, pleasant, his life, memories of his wife, looking at her photo, listening to Roland, his advice, concern? Patrice, old, owning the bar, eating, playing chess? There being hosts?

7. The tension between the couple, the flashbacks, glimpses, a suggestion of trauma? Audiences guessing what it was? Her remaining at the villa, his going away, sexual tension, resistance, in the love, moments of hate, anger? Her depression? His drinking?

8. Vanessa, Angelina Jolie, her age, experience, quiet, the lowered voice, in the villa, going shopping, the bakery, the cup of coffee? Basking in the sun? Watching the fisherman going in and out? Going for walks? The couple next door, talking with them? Her general listlessness?

9. Roland, going out, typing, writing at the bar, the mental block, talking with Michel, the drinking, nasty when drunk, going out, going back at night, sleeping,
the tension in the relationship?

10. The couple next door, hearing their sexual activity, on their honeymoon, his owning the gallery? The discussions, she going shopping with Vanessa, the
clothes, his clothes – resembling Roland’s? The invitation to sail, on the boat? Going out to dinner, dressing up? With the wife, playing cards?

11. The peep hole, Vanessa discovering it, watching, the detail, sex, curiosity? Roland seeing the light, watching? Their watching together, the effect? The woman’s pregnancy? The audience sharing the couple’s prurience? The explicit details seen, individuals, in privacy, the discussions, nudity, sexual activity?

12. Vanessa and Roland, the sexual tension, breaking it down, the shower, the night, Vanessa buying the breakfast? Vanessa suggesting that Roland had his eyes on the young wife? Vanessa and François, Roland seeing it through the hole, intruding, bashing François? Hearing François tell his wife is the truth?

13. The effect on Vanessa and Roland, his harsh speaking, the slaps, the barrenness, jealousy, being destructive?

14. The reconciliation? Getting rid of her angers? Admitting to the jealousy?

15. Roland going to see the couple, the bus stop, urging the reconciliation?

16. The farewell to Michel and Patrice, leaving the villa, driving away – and some hope?