The Big Picture- Review
By Hao-ling
Adapted from American writer Douglas Kennedy’s best seller novel, “The Big Picture” is an unpredictable, excited and thrilled French movie which filmed by Eric Lartigau who directed “I Do”, “A Ticket to Space”, “Mais qui a tué Pamela Rose?”
A successful young father of two children, Paul Exben, is casted by Romain Duris, who kills his wife’s lover by accident. Paul hides the body and changes his identity to assume he is the person who is murdered by him, then sneaks out of Paris to Eastern Europe to become a photographer for living.
The background of “The Big Picture” happens in the central of Paris, unless you read the book before, or you will never know actually it happens in wall street, USA.
The script was written by Lartigau and Laurent de Bartillat, they arranged the shots and storyline brilliantly and wisely, compared to the novel, the film still keeps the whole spirits of the novel and takes its time to layout Paul’s life.
The Big Picture is central on main character Paul. Before Paul kills his wife’s lover Gregoire (Eric Ruf), he is a cooperator of lawyer firm, always dressed smart and owns a posh villa in Paris.
Paul wanted to be a photographer when he was young, but afterwards he has became a lawyer to support his family and his wife Sarah (Marina Fois) to become a writer.
Paul is an ideal husband in most of woman’s mind, earning money, loving his wife, adoring the two kids.
However, for Sarah, she thinks it is a way to keep her in the house by Paul instead of well supporting, she feels like herself as a belonging of his husband.
At the same, Sarah is attractive by Gregoire’s willingness to go for his dream and wild appearance, but also she is sick of her husband’s self-loathing.
Once Paul has fled to Eastern Europe, the movie changes the pace, the well-dressed Parisian Lawyer becomes a declasse man who stays at a shitty house with nice view in Montenegro and dresses like an “underground man” taking photos around.
In there, Paul findsreal him, he takes photos of what he sees and becomes a sympathetic social observer and creative artist. He is chasing his dream which he could not make it in in Paris, but he makes it in this small town.
Personally, I think Paul has a happier life in the Eastern Europe, although he has to hide himself from public and could not live with his family, but he becomes a well-developed person by chasing his dream and puts the efforts on what he likes to do.
“The Big Picture” is definitely recommended, apart from very well directing, as you can see, Romain Duris is a compelling presence.
The review on Streetwise Opera – Fables in Newcastle
By Tracy
Fables is the four short films shot by four UK’s leading composers and four filmmakers by 125 streetwise performers who have the experiences about homelessness before.
I watched this new film event of performing “Film Operas” - Fables at Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle
The four short films of Fables are The Boy Who Cried Wolf, The Nightingale and the Rose, Hey! Come on Out! and The Hartlepool Monkey.
I enjoy the live theatrical staging at the Tyneside Cinema so much. Before the show, there was a long queue out the cinema, and the band was playing local folk music at the stage before the show began.
This was an utterly brilliant part in Fables that the Streetwise performers popping up from the audience to tell stories, the lights they made and they showered the audience with rose petals. It looked like everyone enjoyed the show, and at the end of Fables, all the people there were dancing and singing and waving hands which was such amazing atmosphere at that moment.
It was lucky that the Newcastle filmmaker of the fourth short film - The Hartlepool Monkey – is sat next to me, and he told me passionately that he went to London
Trough this opera, the narrator was great and really engaging all the audience to a magical journey. I felt a fantastic time there with a big ovation for the successful performance at the end of the show.
And there is a trailer on Youtube and its website as well,
