Mauvaise pass
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| Original title | Mauvaise pass |
| Country of production |
France Great Britain |
| original language |
English French |
| Publishing year | 1999 |
| length | 102 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Michel Blanc |
| script | Michel Blanc Hanif Kureishi Nick Love |
| production | Claude Berri |
| music | Barry Adamson |
| camera | Barry Ackroyd |
| cut | Maryline Monthieux |
| occupation | |
| |
Mauvaise passe is a Franco-British drama directed by Michel Blanc from 1999. The British performance title is The Escort .
action
Pierre is 45 and unexpectedly breaks out of his everyday routine. He leaves his wife and 17-year-old son Nicolas, quits his job as a lecturer in French literature and goes to London, where he wants to write his first book. He finds accommodation in a poor hotel and gets into a fight when he is forced to visit a strip club but does not want to pay there. When he is thrown into the street, he meets young Tom, who takes him to his café and treats him. Pierre goes to the café again the next morning, thanks Pierre and after a short time asks him for work. Pierre is now allowed to work as a dishwasher in the evenings. Pierre goes to the clubs with Tom and one day accompanies two of Tom's friends to a family celebration. Only slowly does he notice that the two friends are actually a couple and that he and Tom serve as "alibi friends" in front of their parents. He is upset when he is paid to accompany him at the end of the evening. Since he is in serious financial trouble, he accepts the payment. Tom, in turn, reports to him in the evening that his work in the café is only a sideline, as he works as a callboy in the evenings . He tries to get Pierre excited about this work. Despite self-doubt, Pierre takes pleasure in the idea, dyes his hair and gets tips from Tom. He starts changing his clothes and going to the gym. To save money, he also moves in with Tom.
His first appearance as a callboy is almost a disaster, but his partner finds it interesting to be with an "inexperienced" man. A short time later, Pierre was added to the escort service's file. He wins customers and even regular customers, like Patricia, who falls in love with him. Pierre, however, meets the prostitute Kim, who has a young daughter who she never sees. The relationship between Pierre and Kim is rejected by Tom, but he knows that Kim has poor company. However, Pierre falls in love and finally moves out of Tom's house. He rents an expensive apartment in a better location, which forces him to work a lot more as a callboy to pay the rent. This leads to more frequent conflicts with Kim, but also to the fact that he confesses his love to regular customers like Patricia in order to see them more often and earn more money with it. To increase his potency, Pierre takes cocaine, which he steals from Tom's inventory.
Over time, numerous areas of conflict arise: Pierre becomes addicted to drugs and collapses in Tom's apartment. Patricia's husband pays Pierre a visit and knocks him down because he has exploited his wife emotionally. Pierre also tries to rebuild the relationship with his wife and son, but his wife wants a divorce after learning that he works as a callboy. There are also problems with Kim, as she forms a bookable couple with her ex-boyfriend and more and more often abandons him because she prefers to spend her time with Pierre. He, in turn, realizes that his behavior is endangering her work and tries to withdraw. After all, Pierre is finished. It is the news of his father's collapse that leads him back to France. In Bordeaux, he retires to his father's estate. He begins writing his long-planned novel, which is about a family man who breaks out and starts working as a callboy. Some time later, Pierre is back in London. He goes to Tom's cafe. His book has already been published in France and is now to be published in Great Britain. Since there is a person named Tom in the book, Pierre asks Tom to give him permission for publication. He leaves the book for him even if Tom thinks he doesn't like reading. Shortly afterwards, Pierre meets with his publisher in London. Tom's wife secretly gives Tom an address and shortly afterwards they both end up in bed in a hotel room, where Pierre seduces them by quoting French poems.
production
Mauvaise passe was shot in London, Paris and Bordeaux. The costumes were created by Ralph Wheeler-Holes , the film construction was done by Gary Williamson. Mauvaise passe was released in Belgian and French cinemas on November 17, 1999. On December 8, 2000 it was also shown in British cinemas. It has not been broadcast in Germany so far (as of 9/2013).
It was the third film by director Michel Blanc. Daniel Auteuil was not dubbed, but speaks English in the film and French in scenes with his wife and child.
criticism
The Standard wrote that it was sad and amazing how many French actors forget their skill and sensitivity in play as soon as they set foot on British soil. Auteuil appears in the film without any charm. Le Point found the film touching, but not slippery, because Stuart Townsent's play was very matter-of-fact and Daniel Auteuil's role was terrifyingly naive.
Web links
- Mauvaise passe in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ "It's sad and baffling to see how many French actors and directors of skill and subtlety seem to abandon both these qualities the minute they set foot on our streets to make a film". See Alexander Walker: The Escort . standard.co.uk, December 7, 2000.
- ↑ François-Guillaume Lorrain: Michel Blanc tombe le masque ( Memento of the original from October 4, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . lepoint.fr, November 12, 1999.
