Monsieur Hire
Directed by:
Patrice LeconteCinematography:
Denis LenoirComposer:
Michael NymanCast:
Michel Blanc, Sandrine Bonnaire, André Wilms, Cristiana Réali, Bernard Soufflet, Philippe Dormoy, Luc ThuillierVOD (1)
Plots(1)
In a provincial French apartment block, Monsieur Hire (Michel Blanc) endures a solitary life of dulling work as a tailor and vitriolic scorn from his neighbors. Hire’s only solace is an occasional night out bowling and the voyeuristic admiration of his neighbor, the ravishingly erotic Alice (Sandrine Bonnaire), a beautiful, free-spirited woman conducting a heated love affair through un-drawn curtains across the way. But when police discover the nude body of another young woman in a nearby vacant lot, Hire becomes the prime suspect in a murder investigation that brings him face to face with the object of his desire even as it threatens to ensnare them both in a web of deceit, accusation, lust, and guilt. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (2)
Do you know what happens when the truth you have implanted into your brain gets suddenly destroyed because the circumstances show you that the reality is different from what you have dreamed of? You are shocked. As is the case in this movie.
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There is the murder of a young woman in the film, but it is, overall, more of an interesting psychological study of human loneliness, bitterness, and alienation than a classic crime drama. In the first half of the film, the screenwriter still lets us wander and thanks to fragmented scenes and a non-linearly told story, it raises a number of questions in the viewer about the role of the individual characters of the drama. However, in the middle of the film, it reveals its cards and the film works primarily due to the emotions of pity for the tragic character of the eccentric tailor. Monsieur Hire lives alone and his only companions are white mice in a terrarium. Furthermore, besides occasional visits to the brothel, his only hobby is spying on the charming neighbor across the street. However, one day one of them takes a step toward being closer together... But it's not a love drama, it's a bitter story of unfulfilled feelings. It is a slow film where even a relentless boxing match is accompanied by the tones of classical music. Overall impression: 80%.
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