ONE WILD MOMENT/ UN MOMENT D’EGAREMENT

France, 105 minutes, 2015 Colour.
Vincent Cassel, François Cluzet, Lola Le Lann, Alice Isaaz.
Directed by Jean- François Richet.


One Wild Moment/ Un moment d’egarement is a remake of a 1977 film of the same title, directed by distinguished French director, Claude Berri (Jean de Florette and Manon of the Springs).

It is very French in its characters and in situations, especially concerning parents, fathers, the younger generation of teenage girls, sexuality – and both a sense of freedom in morals as well as a strictness in perspective.

Two a middle-aged fathers, one divorced. (Vincent Cassel), the other having difficulties with his wife and the possibility of separation (François Cluzet). They go to a resort in Corsica with their daughters, Cassel being more permissive concerning his daughter and her going out, Cluzet more concerned with control and curfews. The girls tend to go their own ways, going into the town, teaming up with boys, getting back late…

The main crux of the drama is the Lolita-like behaviour of Cluzet’s daughter, being provocative with Cassel, Is allowing himself to be seduced and compromised, his regrets and trying to remedy the situation, not informing his friend. However, Cluzet is dementedly suspicious, suspects a local who is, in fact, gay, and bashes him.

Quite a lot of dramatic tension, the daughter having a self-absorbed carefree attitude, putting herself in compromising situations. At the end, guilt is admitted, there is a clash – a sobering experience for Cassel and challenging parental crisis for Cluzet.

1. A French story, family, teenagers, generation differences, parenting, love and sexuality?

2. Corsica, the landscapes, the road, the sea, beaches, the house, climbing the cliffs? Country life? The contrast with socials, parties? The musical score?

3. Laurent and Antoine, their age, each with a daughter, divorced and married, separations, the house, climbing the cliffs? Issues of parenting, discipline?

4. Louna and Marie, their age, going out, not coming back as requested, on the scooters, the boys, drinking? The scaling the cliff, the swim, Lugar leaving her breast exposed, looking at Laurent, seductive? By themselves? Her contriving the situation to be alone with him, at the beach, coming on to him? His response? The sexual encounter? Marie and her realisation of what happened, antagonism towards Louna, towards her father? The girl talk?

5. Laurent, the effect on him? Unable to tell Antoine? Antoine, preoccupation with the boar, going to the shops, catalogues and his studying them? The gun, pursuing the boar?

6. Marie, intervening with Louna, seeing her going from the room, criticising her father, anger at Louna?

7. Antoine, his wife, the separation, his being unreasonable with her, her plans, going to Ibiza, going to the town, floating?

8. Louna and her discussions with her father, his perceptions, getting something of the truth from her, her reluctance? His discussions with Laurent, getting him to take his daughter out to the meal, the discussions, getting a result, the suggestion about asking the DJ, going to the clubs, Antoine drinking, anger, pursuing the DJ, in the fight in the toilet – and the man being gay?

9. The episode with the group playing cards, the mention of Laurent’s girlfriends from the past?

10. Louna, continually flirting, openly, lying with him, going to the bedroom, her wanting to say that he loved her, his continued saying he did not? His gradually accepting to say this under pressure?

11. The return, the death of the dog, burial, the friend, and chasing the boar?

12. Laurent telling Antoine the truth, anger, missing the boar?

13. Later, the reticence, and Antoine not revealing that he knew?

14. This experience for each in their own way? Louna and her falling in love, being seductive, unrepentant? Adolescent experience? The effect of the experience? Marie, having to grow, attitude towards her father? The two men, continued friendship with the memory of this experience?