LE PRESSENTIMENT (PREMONITION)
France, 2006, 97 minute, Colour.
Jean- Pierre Darroussin, Valerie Stroh.
Directed by Jean- Pierre Darroussin.
Le Pressentiment is a fine film. It was written and directed by Jean- Pierre Darroussin who also appears as the main character. It is based on a novel by Emmanuel Bove.
The theme is the familiar one, a man facing the realities of midlife, divorced from his wife, alienation from his family, tired of his work, wanting to opt out and live a simple life among poorer people, offering his services to them.
The film shows the reaction of the very bourgeois-like family, unable to understand what he is doing. His brother tries to persuade him to come back to work and to the family. However, the man finds that he relates well with the people in the poorer part of Paris, especially with some of the migrants from eastern Europe. He becomes entangled with one man who wants to be his client for divorce but is brutal to his wife and goes to prison. The man then looks after the young daughter of the prisoner and while the wife is in hospital recovering. The neighbours, previously friendly to the man, begin to gossip and accuse him of molestation of the little girl.
The film shows the pathos of a man trying to come to terms with his life, with the demands that people make on him. The possibilities are to end his life or not? It is then revealed that he has a serious illness. He receives affirmation from the mother and daughter – and imagines his death and the funeral and the reactions of his family.
Small-budget, small in focus – yet a very interesting and moving portrait of a human being and insight into human nature.
1.French style of film? Introspective? Dialogues? Relationships?
2.The city of Paris, affluent settings, the poorer suburbs? The detail of the streets, the apartments? The cafes? The musical score?
3.The title, the focus on Charles, his choices in life, his presentiments and premonitions about death?
4.The focus on Charles Benesteau, the writer-director acting this part, his insight into the character? The initial focus, his age, personality? His meeting his brother? The news about his leaving his wife, the bourgeois upper class suburbs, his family? Their all coming to see him, the protests? The legal documents? Their reaction to his apartment, their snobbery? His continuing his life, reading, writing? Friendliness with the neighbours? His legal profession? His work at home? The visit of the neighbour, his asking advice about the divorce? His being summoned by the police, the man brutalising his wife? His daughter? The wife in hospital, his care? His taking the daughter in hand, helping her, buying things for her, encouraging her to read? Her going out with the local boy? The women and their reaction, their gossip, suggestions of molestation? His calm, his continuing to work with the girl? Her mother out of hospital, coming to get the girl, her discovering the truth about his generosity? His giving the money to the man – and saying how easy it was to be conned? His getting the money for the woman, setting her up? People’s change of heart? His going to see his woman friend, her support, his wanting to break off? His second visit to her and her advice? His sitting in the café, imagining his death, imagining his funeral, imagining the reactions? His collapse, the diagnosis of epilepsy, the opinion of the doctor? What he would do with his life, writing, theatre, poetry? Philosophy? His insights into life, solidarity with the poor?
5.The neighbours, the man brutalising his wife, wanting the divorce, his being lent the money, his assault on his wife, going to jail (and his reappearance at the funeral)? The wife, in hospital? The girl, her age, need for support, his looking after her, caring for her? Her going out with the boy, the mother and the criticism? The gossip of the neighbours, their malice?
6.A detailed portrait of individuals, the neighbours, the family and their snobbery? The woman friend? The effect on Charles, his interactions, changing his life?
7.The title and a premonition about life and its possibilities, a premonition about illness and death?
