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Rating : 5/10
Release Date : 12th August, 2009
Time : 85 minutes
Director & Co-writer : Catherine Corsini; Co-Writer : Gaelle Mace;
Starring : Kristin Scott Thomas, Sergi Lopez, Yvan Attal

(A French film, also titled 'Leaving')

There is something marvellously tragic about Kristin Scott Thomas that makes her great for understated, sad, sentimental roles. Remember ‘The English Patient’ or even her dry, sarcastic wit-laced turn as the unfulfilled lover in ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’ ?


In this role, she is a housewife, mother of two teenage kids, trying to re-start her work (physiotherapy) as an assistant to a doctor, married to a successful, moneyed, powerful, well-connected self obsessed prick, Yvan.


She decides to build a physiotherapy studio in the outhouse, the husband cribs about the cost and so the builder, to cut corners, hires an illegal immigrant from Spain (Sergi) to do the actual work. One thing leads to another and Kristin and Sergi become lovers and later fall in love.


So far so good.

However, at a certain point, and its not understood when or why, he becomes the love of Kristin’s life, she is unable to live without him, tells her insufferable husband about him, agrees never to meet Sergi again and then realises she’s too deeply in love to be able to do so.


The story then takes some unexpected turns, including an end that is slightly unexpected.

The movie is quite French, with love or passion taking precedence over baser needs and hence appearing quite silly to more pragmatic minds. While we are able to follow what Kristin does, we’re not really able to comprehend or understand why ? I mean, its perfectly understandable for her to look out, to seek an affair. But why the builder ? What is it about him that makes him the all-consuming love of her life ?

He is for sure not blessed with Adonis looks, nor is successful or moneyed or witty or articulate. He is just an ordinary guy, with ordinary needs and a very ordinary life. Yet he becomes her love and he reciprocates fully, even when the going, thanks to the husband, becomes very tough.


And maybe that is the point. How love can occur anytime. At the most unlikely stage of your life, in the most unlikely place and with the unlikeliest of persons. Such is love and such is life.