Directed by:
Roman PolańskiCinematography:
Tonino Delli ColliComposer:
VangelisCast:
Hugh Grant, Kristin Scott Thomas, Emmanuelle Seigner, Peter Coyote, Victor Banerjee, Stockard Channing, Patrick Albenque, Geoffrey Carey, Ysé Tran (more)VOD (1)
Plots(1)
On a cruise to Istanbul in celebration of their seventh wedding anniversary, uptight British couple Nigel (Hugh Grant) and Fiona (Kristin Scott Thomas) encounter American expatriate Oscar (Peter Coyote), a wheelchair-bound unpublished novelist traveling with his young French wife, Mimi (Emmanuelle Seigner). Nigel is immediately drawn to the sexy but distant Mimi, and Oscar, sensing the other man's fascination with his wife, takes him aside to recount in exhibitionistic detail the sordid tale of their once-passionate love affair, which gradually deteriorated into a series of increasingly sadistic and degrading sex games. In flashback scenes, it soon becomes clear that the self-serving Oscar represents the corrosive element in the couple's relationship--though the tables will eventually be turned. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (7)
Although Oscar's narrative is the main frame of the entire film, the implications of his relationship with Mimi naturally translate to the present and gradually influence Hugh Grant's character in his actions and endeavors :)) The depiction of Oscar and Mimi's relationship is at times lyrical, charming, idyllic (there is a beautiful juxtaposition of her youthful innocence and naivety with Oscar's "awakening"), at times bizarre (but also funny), and ultimately, of course, escalated (both physically and psychologically). Equally compelling is the setting in which Bitter Moon takes place. All in all, this is a masterpiece, detailing (sometimes perhaps too much:)) the course of a somewhat perverse but all the more interesting relationship, while tying in another (contemporary) storyline, which it fantastically intersects with at the end.
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"Have you ever felt real, overpowering passion?!" From the first minute, I felt that, like Nigel, I was being drawn almost against my will into the destructive psychological game of two self-destructive individuals, and I knew that there would be no happy ending. A study that hurts in the deepest places.
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I’d always had Polanski as a competent filmmaker, but so far none of his films had managed to captivate me. Between him, as a creator, and me, as a viewer, I’d always felt some sort of barrier that wouldn’t let me tune into the same vibes. Until now. Bitter Moon finally did it. I really dove into this study about an unhealthy relationship during a sea cruise, and I enjoyed it. The experience was both pleasant and unpleasant at the same time.
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In Roman Polanski's filmography, this is a relatively lesser-known piece, especially compared to The Fearless Vampire Killers or Rosemary's Baby. However, it's one of his best films - personally, I rank it third after The Pianist and the drama Death and the Maiden. It's a fateful psychological drama of a couple torn apart by sexual passion, jealousy, and mutual dependence, which escalates into hatred. Strong performances and a script that manages to depict the pathology of a love relationship without delving into unnecessary vulgarity. Overall impression: 85%.
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Roman Polanski is able to brilliantly capture the human psyche, human desire, and even human lust. The story, narrated here by the protagonists themselves and which ultimately unfolds and crescendos, is incredibly sexy but in a destructive way, leaving you with a lingering feeling that you want to escape. The characters may not succeed. Well-chosen actors!
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