Time to Leave

Francois Ozon’s latest film is a meditation on death and dying. If focuses on a young man named Romain (Melvil Poupaud) who appears to have everything. He is a successful photographer, has a nice apartment and a loving boyfriend named Sasha. But during a fashion shoot Romain collapses. The news from the doctor is as bad as it gets – he has a malignant brain tumor. The chance that chemotherapy will help is very slim so Romain decides to forgo treatment. He is given just a few months to live.

Romain attends a family dinner. He was hoping to tell his parents and sister about his imminent departure but he us unable to do so. Instead he becomes very hostile towards them. His hostility also extends towards Sasha. After some intense lovemaking he tells Sasha to pack his bags and leave. The only person he is able to talk to about this is his grandmother (played by the ever wonderful Jeanne Moreau). The scenes between them are tender and beautiful. One day while having coffee Romain meets a friendly waitress named Jany (Valerie Bruni Tedeschi). He eventually makes a bargain with her that is very life affirming.

This is a terrific film and not at all sentimental. Throughout the film Romain keeps his dignity. Poupaud is outstanding in the lead and I am really looking forward to seeing what this young actor does in the future (he is also very handsome and looks good even at the end). Ozon is definitely one of the best young directors coming out of France today. This film is the second in his trilogy on grief and mourning (his first is the excellent Under the Sand with Charlotte Rampling.

The final scene is very moving and at the same time quite peaceful. I wish that more people would see this film. But I think that the subject matter is keeping them away. That is too bad because whether one is 31 (like Romain) or 91 this is something that each and every one of us will have to face someday.