MON ROI/ MY KING

France, 2015, 124 minutes, Colour.
Vincent Cassel, Emmanuelle Bercot, Louis Garrel, Isild Le Besco, Chrystelle Saint Louis Augustin.
Directed by Maiwenn.

Mon Roi is an edgy film about love, romance, tension and confusion, edge between a couple.

The film opens in Alpine territory with skiing but soon moves to a sanatorium where those who experience skiing accidents recuperate. It is suggested by a therapist that Tony, a lawyer (Emmanuelle Bercot), did not just have an accident but that the accident came from inner confusion and conflict. As the film progresses, it is clear that the therapist is not wrong.

Tony is a successful lawyer, divorced, with a great number of friends who encounters an old associate, Giorgio (Vincent Cassell) who owns restaurants. He does not remember her at first but the two go home together, have breakfast, begin an affair. She becomes more and more besotted with Giorgio. He loves her but his response is more gradual.

Eventually, they marry, and she becomes pregnant. However, a former girlfriend, quite neurotic, is always in the background, attempting to kill herself, Giorgio feeling obliged always to go to her support. Louis Garrel appears as Tony’s brother, giving her advice.

The situation gets worse, and while the child is born and the parents are happy, it seems better that they live separately. Ultimately, Tony becomes suicidal.

While both try to be good parents to their boy over the years, they divorce, have a better relationship after the divorce, and are finally scene in a school sequence discussing their son with teachers – and the prospect that there could be more peace in the lives of each. The end of the film is open.

1. An intense personal drama? Tony’s story and her perspective? Giorgio’s story and his perspective? Giorgio seen through Tony’s eyes? The audience’s eyes?

2. French settings, city, apartments, restaurants, streets, law offices, ordinary life? The contrast with the mountains, the snow and the skiing? With the sea? The sanatorium, all kinds of healing and therapy? The musical score?

3. The title? With reference to Giorgio? Tony’s perspective?

4. The opening, Tony and the mountains, skiing, the accident? In the centre? The steps to recovery? The insertion of flashbacks? The details of therapy, Tony’s response, her leg, x-rays, swimming, walking? The range of associates and friends? Conversations? Farewells and Tony’s future?

5. With the therapist, the question as to whether Tony’s accident was an accident or a distraction caused by inner turmoil and confusion?

6. Tony, lawyer, her former husband? Relationship with her brother and his wife? The friends? The encounter with Giorgio, having met him in the past, his taking time to remember? Her going to the apartment, breakfast, the sexual encounter? The follow-ups, the meals, conversation, sex? Her falling in love?

7. Georgia, his background, the restaurants, his knowledge of food, branching out, business? Staff? His comic turns as a waiter? His charm? The past relationship with Agnes? Her upset with Giorgio, the confrontation with Tony?

8. The development of the romance, proposals, the wedding ceremony, joy? The first night, the progress of the marriage, conversations?

9. The crisis with Agnes trying to kill herself, Giorgio and his going to help her, the continued help, the effect on Tony? Giorgio taking a strong stance?

10. The effect on Tony, becoming more neurotic, the difficulties, arguments, Giorgio’s proposal to live elsewhere? The importance of the pregnancy? The visits together, the ultrascans? The birth of the boy, happiness? Time passing, bringing up the boy, his relationship to each parent?

11. The separate living, communication, attraction, love? The issue of Agnes?

12. Tony, the discussions with her brother, moving out, moving back, more erratic behaviour? Leading to the pills and pill taking?

13. The divorce, happiness, feeling free, the sexual aftermath?

14. Separate lives, Tony and new friends, Giorgio giving up Agnes – and the scenes with her, with the baby, godmother?

15. The final sequence, the parents arriving to discuss their boy, the teachers, his being moved to the next grade, some kind of resolution – and the audience left with the prospects for the future?