Changing Times

Andre Techine's latest film is an interesting study of different types of relationships. It is also a story of true love.

Antoine (Gerard Depardieu) is a successful contractor who has a great deal of money. But he is a very lonely and sad man. He has had only one true love and after over 31 years apart he manages to track her down in Tangiers. He relocates to Tangiers to oversee a project but his main objective is to rekindle the flame with Cecile (Catherine Deneuve).

Cecile is married to a doctor named Natan (Gilbert Melki) who is a little younger and a Moroccan. Cecile works at a radio station in a job that she seems to like but doesn't provide her with a great salary. Around the same time that Antoine arrives in Tangiers, Cecile and Natan's son Sami, who lives in Paris, (Malik Zidi) comes to pay them a visit. Also along for the visit are his "girlfriend" Nadia (Lubna Azabal) and her son Said (Idir Elomri). Nadia is hoping to stay with her twin sister Aicha (also played by Azabal) but Aicha never shows up at the airport so Nadia has to stay with Sami's family.

I question Sami's relationship with Nadia because when he is back in Tangiers he spends more time with his former male lover Bilal (Naden Richati) than with either Nadia or his parents. We also find out that Aicha is a religious Muslim and does not want to see her sister because Nadia's lifestyle goes against the religion. In the meantime, Antoine manages to meet up with Cecile (and her husband) and after a while tries to win her back. To add to the complications, Natan gets a job offer in Casablanca. Even though the job will pay him much more money Cecile does not want to leave Tangiers because she is attached to her job at the radio station.

There is a lot going on in this film. Techine tries to explore both heterosexual and homosexual romantic relationships as well as parent/child relationships and sibling relationships. And the cultural aspect is also looked at. There are two scenes that involved animals that I found repulsive and totally unnecessary (I covered my eyes). But except for those scenes I really enjoyed watching the film. All of the acting is good and it was wonderful to see Depardieu and Deneuve together again on the screen. I would have liked to find out more about some of the characters but that was impossible because Techine focuses on so many stories. However, the film works because of the interaction between the actors. And I must say that I loved the last scene in the film. I found it very tender and moving.

This film is released by Koch Lorber and it is in a very limited release. I find it a bit odd that a film with two of France's greatest actors can't get a wider release. Unfortunately, that seems to be the name of the game for most foreign films released in the US these days. However, in this summer of Pirates, Super Heroes and X-Men I am happy that there are at least a few alternatives for people like me who want to see films that are made for adults.