not here to be loved (Je ne suis pas là pour être aimé) 2005 dvd5 french bcbc

not here to be loved (Je ne suis pas là pour être aimé) 2005 region free dvd5 french bcbc



Not Here to Be Loved (French: Je ne suis pas là pour être aimé) is a 2005 French film directed by Stéphane Brizé and starring Patrick Chesnais, Anne Consigny and Georges Wilson.

Contains movie and Optional English Subtitles. No menus or extras. Regular DVD quality (Not BD, 1080p etc...). Seeding/Feedback appreciated. Thank You.













Summary

A weary "hussier de justice" whose job it is to deliver the paperwork preceding eviction and seizure of property forges a warm but tenuous relationship with a doubtful bride-to-be in director Stephane Brize's melancholy slice of life drama. Jean-Claude is a dreary soul who inherited the thankless family business from his prickly, widowed father. Every Sunday the devoted son dutifully visits his elderly father in the nearby rest home, where the old man passes his time by heckling his put upon caretakers, and one day Jean-Claude notices a dance studio directly across from his drab office. Hoping that a tango lesson will provide the required jolt needed to shake him free of his midlife funk, the depressive Jean-Claude enrolls in a class only to find that one of his fellow students is a young woman for whom his mother once babysat. The bride-to-be of a teacher who has taken time out of the classroom to finish his ambitious first novel, the young woman is taking tango lessons in order to be properly prepared for her impending wedding. As a friendly bond develops between the pair over the course of the lessons, it soon becomes obvious that both are missing a crucial element of happiness in their lives.



Cast

Patrick Chesnais, Anne Consigny, Georges Wilson, Lionel Abelanski, Cyril Couton, Geneviève Mnich, Hélène Alexandridis, Anne Benoît, Olivier Claverie, Marie-Sohna Conde, Stéphan Wojtowicz, Pedro Lombardi, Pascal Praud, Géraldine Rojas



Awards and nominations

César Awards (France)

Nominated: Best Actor – Leading Role (Patrick Chesnais)

Nominated: Best Actress – Leading Role (Anne Consigny)

Nominated: Best Actor – Supporting Role (Georges Wilson)

European Film Awards

Nominated: Best Actor (Patrick Chesnais)

San Sebastián International Film Festival (Spain)

Won: CEC Award for Best Film

Nominated: Golden Seashell (Stéphane Brizé)



Review - Not Here to be Loved (Je ne suis pas là pour être aimé)

Sunday, July 08, 2007

The man at the centre of this narrative is Jean-Claude Delsart (Patrick Chesnais), a Parisian bailiff on the wrong side of 50. He is trapped in an unsatisfying job, he lives alone since his divorce, and even small talk among his colleagues - including his own son (Cyril Couton) - at the office is an unbearable ordeal. Every weekend Jean-Claude makes the trip to his father's rest home to keep the old man (a fantastic Georges Wilson) company, but he receives little thanks for his efforts from this grumpy and petulant figure. This is a man trapped in a rut and only going downwards, but after his doctor prescribes exercise for Jean-Claude's heart he finally decides to visit the dance class across the street which he has been covertly watching from his office.



His first lesson is comically awkward, of course, but Jean-Claude does bump into the beautiful Françoise (Anne Consigny). She recognises him from the past - his mother used to be her nanny - and as the pair reminisce an affection quickly grows between them. But Françoise is taking the class in preparation for her upcoming nuptials, to terminally blocked novelist Thierry (Lionel Abelanski), and the conflicting emotions which she feels are mirrored by Jean-Claude, who must decide whether to break the habit of a lifetime and declare his feelings for his younger dance partner.



This is well-trodden ground, but the steps Brizé takes in telling this story make it feel a little fresher than you might expect. The director has a deft, easygoing style. His static camera captures the banality of Jean-Claude's everyday existence, trudging dutifully up and down stairs to issue eviction notices, and quietly absorbing the insults they inevitably hurl his way. The grey and stultifying nature of his workplace is emphasised by Brizé's straightforward compositions, and this approach allows the director to gradually free up the camera as his protagonist enters the world of dance. His film becomes somewhat bolder in tune with Jean-Claude's growing confidence, and the excellent music helps to shape the picture as it progresses.



The progression of the film's central relationship is also a delight to behold, with both of the leads being perfectly cast. Chesnais' humble, charmingly downbeat performance is a wonderfully subtle display of acting. He is minimalist yet expressive, and he charts his character's development in gradual, perfectly-judged shades. He also has a tangible chemistry with his co-star, the lovely Anne Consigny, whose open and optimistic demeanour contrasts sharply with that of Chesnais. Like Jean-Claude, Françoise is trapped by circumstance, her pushy mother and sister having completely taken over the preparations for the wedding, and the actress captures her confused emotions beautifully. When Jean-Claude and Françoise dance together, it is a chance for both to break free from the ties that bind, allowing them to let go of the worries and pressures which have made their lives so stifling.



Not Here to be Loved is full of wonderful individual scenes - Jean-Claude's comical attempt to buy perfume for Françoise , his father's truculent behaviour during a game of monopoly, and a lovely sequence in which the whole class goes to watch a professional performance, although Jean-Claude can't take his eyes off Françoise sitting a few rows ahead. These scenes are perfectly handled, but Brizé's firm grip on the film's emotional register never allows the picture to build up a head of steam, resulting in a film which is affecting only up to a point. The strand of the film concerning Jean-Claude's fractious relationship with his father is exceptionally written and acted, but it never quite delivers the emotional impact we're looking for, and the way Brizé wraps up this part of the narrative feels a little too neat.



Not Here to be Loved might fail to really hit the desired emotional peak right at the climax, but it still manages to leave the viewer with a warm sense of satisfaction; the satisfaction which comes from watching a simple story being told in a professional, engaging way. Stephane Brizé, in only his second feature, has skilfully delivered a film which is rich in character and detail, a film which constantly holds the viewers' attention as is details the efforts of two ordinary people trying to somehow give their lives meaning and purpose. This modest French effort isn't a great film, but it is a simple film made with a sense of maturity, intelligence and heart. Often, that's all you need.