L'HOMME QUI VOULAIT VIVRE SA VIE - THE FILM REVIEW

5 HOURS

OK, so this is the film which I've been waiting for a long time to watch for many reasons and I will write a brief review of it.
What do we know about this movie?
The film based on the popular novel by Douglas Keneddy and it is directed by famous Eric Lartigau. If you live in Paris, you couldn't have not noticed the posters all over the city buses, newspapers and cinemas. It had its premiere in September at Toronto International Film Festival, but it premiered at French cinemas in November.
"L’homme qui voulait vivre sa vie" is an existential thriller of the best sort, it is character driven, beautifully directed with breath-taking shots of Montenegro (MY HOMELAND! - the main reason I actually wanted to watch the film) and finally, reasonably profound.
I watched this movie entirely in French, without subtitles and my experience with French language is just 3 months old. However I was pretty satisfied with my comprehension and I was so completely absorbed by the film that language was no barrier at all! There cannot be a better sign of quality than that surely?
There hasn't been a film about the power of photography combined with intrigue and existential pondering like L’homme qui voulait vivre sa vie. As Tim Grierson of Screen Daily says, L’homme qui voulait vivre sa vie is “vaguely reminiscent of another of Antonioni’s films, The Passenger."
The action of the movie is based upon a young photographer Paul Exben who lives in Paris. He decides to start over his life again and decides to change his identity because of a shocking event he was responsable for. (I won't give away too much!)
The film is really mind-boggling but do not expect a roller-coaster, Hollywood-style ride, it is far more intelligent than that.
Apart from Romain Duris who plays the main role, the stars also include Catherine Deneuve, Marina Foïs and Serbian actress Branka Katic who I absolutley love and have watched many of her movies. She actually doesn't speak French but she speaks it perfectly in the movie you wouldn't even had a doubt about it. She captured the spotlight of the film as far as I'm concered, you can't help but notice her incredible, unique charisma.
I would recommend all fans of European cinema to watch this amazing masterpiece and I'm sure their time will be well spent and they would count days for the movie's DVD release like I am.
P.S. Make sure you watch the trailer and the short clips of the film below.



I used to go everyday to that café at 0:42 with my friends after school, awww the memories! Podgorica! <3

3 HOURS