Coupe-franche
1989 Comedy / Drama
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Credits
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Summary
Recently released from prison, a young man, François, hopes to make a fresh start
in a small community in the French Pyrenees. There he is met by Gyuri, the man
who brought him up as a child, and through whom he finds employment at the local sawmill.
The mill is owned by Mathieu and managed by his son-in-law Pierre Favier. Despite
his desire to settle down and avoid causing trouble, François cannot help being
drawn to Pierre’s young wife, Marie…
Review
This moody, emotionally charged drama is a promising first film from director Jean-Pierre
Sauné. The melancholic beauty of the rural location, filmed lovingly by
Philippe Théaudière, gives body and layers of meaning to what would otherwise
have been a pretty conventional French romantic drama. Although the acting isn’t
faultless, the characters are generally well-drawn and portrayed with great conviction
and sympathy. Pierre-Loup Rajot, who plays the central character François,
shows great promise as a serious film actor. Actor-turned-singer Serge Reggiani
appears briefly in the film, in one of his last film roles. Reggiani also sings the haunting ballad which accompanies
the film’s closing credits.
© James Travers 2004 Write a review for this film... |
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