HORS- SAISON/ OUT OF SEASON

France, 2023, 115 minutes, Colour.

Guillaume Canet, Alba Rohrwacher, Sharif Andoura, Marre Drucker. Lucette Beudin, Hugo Dillon, Staphane Brize, Johnny Rasse, Jean Boucault.

Directed by Stephane Brize.

Pensive. Unhurried. Melancholic. Tres français. Vraiment.

Winter, hors-saison, a coastal French town where huge waves break on the rocks, or stream onto the vast beach whether anyone is there or not.

We follow a car to a modern luxury hotel, where Matthieu, a popular film star (and Guillaume Canet playing Matthieu is definitely that in fact). He has walked out on rehearsals for his stage debut, afraid, checking with his busy TV executive wife, getting the benefit of comfort, massage, therapy – although some comic scenes with the talkative,-theoretical Jim trainer and in his room where he finds it very difficult to cope with the technology, especially a recalcitrant and unstoppable coffeemaker.

Then a contact from the past. Alice (an excellent Alba Rohrwacher) with a more than five minutes restaurant conversation with Matthieu. The film becomes more about her and there is much more depth, more regrets as her life, marriage, motherhood, life in the town over 15 years is revealed. And the former relationship in the grim breakup, his abruptly leaving her.

This is a film of conversations, a number of restaurants, exploring the past. Alice reveals her home life, the audience getting a glimpse, especially of her hurt, her relationship with her daughter, love, truth, her talent with the piano, composition, teaching, but regrets…

Alice has friends in an aged care home and there is a strong sequence (though not necessarily key to the plot), an interview with an elderly woman about herself, marriage her relationship. At the celebration, enthusiastic song, dance, and a fascinating routine, enjoyably long, that most of us have never seen before, one reviewer referring them to as bird singers, another as “avian impersonators”. The couple really do have a talent for imitating the birds and dramatising the variety of their actions. One of the cinema moments when you feel the urge to join the applause as they take their bows.

The interaction between Matthieu and Alice lingers on, complex, a time for Matthieu leave, or not, Alice to keep on with her life no matter what. A wounding one-sided breakup has to give way to an amicable parting.

1. The title? The atmosphere of the winter town on the Brittany coast? The quiet, the bleakness, the weather? The ocean pounding on the rocks? The water coming in to the empty beach? The musical score?
2. The introduction to Matthieu, the car, the aerial shots of the road, the countryside, the car, his coming into the town, the hotel, the spa, the accommodation, his treatment, his room, the comedy with the recalcitrant coffeemaker, his idly opening and shutting the doors, the discussion with the theoretical gym trainer, the massage and its effect? The background of his marriage, the phone call to his wife, the television station, her efficiency as a manager? His attempt at theatre, overwhelmed, walking out, the phone call from the producer reprimanding him? Yet his great career as a movie star and people recognising him, photos and autographs?
3. The surprise phone call from Alice, her coming to meet him g, her personality, the revelation of the relationship 15 years earlier, his abruptly breaking the relationship? Stranding her, her coming to the town, marrying the doctor, the 15-year-old daughter, her own music compositions, teaching piano lessons?
4. The discussions between the two, the long conversation at the restaurant, re-acquaintance, getting to understand each other, the effect on each of them, the memories? The continuing to meet, to discuss? Seeing Alice, at home, with her husband, friends, discussion about issues in the town, with her daughter?
5. The visit to Matthieu, the sexual encounter and the consequences? Not to meet again?
6. The interlude with the celebration of the marriage, the long interview with the older woman, extraneous in many ways to the action of the story, yet her explanation, her family, age, relationship, love, the celebration of the union?
7. The party, the bird imitators, their performance, entertaining?
8. The music, the dancing?
9. The various stages of ending, Matthieu staying an extra day and the consequences, Alice and her visits, to leave or to stay? The break up of the past, its savage effect, the comparison with the reconciliation and an amicable parting?