L'ennui (1998)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Cédric Kahn

Writers:

Laurence Ferreira Barbosa (writer)
Cédric Kahn (writer)

Release Date:

16 December 1998 (France)

Genre:

Romance | Drama

Plot:

A philosophy teacher restless with the need to do something with his life meets a young woman suspected of driving an artist to his death...

Plot Keywords:

Foreign Language Adaptation | Sex | Underage Sex | Male Frontal Nudity | Sexual Obsession

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Charles Berling	...	Martin
Sophie Guillemin	...	Cécilia
Arielle Dombasle	...	Sophie
Robert Kramer	...	Meyers
Alice Grey	...	Cécilia's Mother
Maurice Antoni	...	Cécilia's Father
Tom Ouedraogo	...	Momo
Patrick Arrachequesne	...	Doctor
Mirtha Caputi Medeiros	...	Meyers' concierge
Pierre Chevalier	...	University dean
Oury Milshtein	...	Jean-Paul
Anne-Sophie Morillon	...	Agnes
Marc Chouppart	...	Ferdinand
Cécile Reigher	...	Ferdinand's girlfriend
Antoine Beau	...	Pierre

Also Known As:

O Tédio (Portugal)

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

France | Portugal

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Germany:16 | Australia:R | France:-12 | Hong Kong:III | Japan:R-15 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:R(A) | South Korea:(Banned) (original rating) | South Korea:18 (re-rating) (uncut) | UK:18

Company:

Gémini Films

Quotes:

Sophie: Abstinence is turning you sour; give it up.
Martin: I have.
Sophie: Really? Do I know her?
Martin: No, I met her in odd circumstances a few weeks ago.
Sophie: Really? You must be pleased.
Martin: You're quite wrong, I don't like her at all. She's totally uninteresting. I'm trying to get rid of her.
Sophie: Why? Is she ugly?
Martin: Not particularly.
Sophie: Is she stupid then?
Martin: No. Not at all. She never says anything stupid. It's complicated. She bores me. I have no contact with her. Or rather only physical contact.
[...]

Movie Connections:

References Jade (1988)

Soundtrack:

Melao de Cana

Identification to Berling's character

Based on the novel of Alberto Moravia, "L'Ennui" tells us the story of a philosphy teacher (Charles Berling) who, just separated from his wife, meets the young and buxom Cecilia, former model of a painter who died making love to her. As their relationship grows, we fall with Berling into despair (when he is unable to quit her even if he wants to) and even jealousy. The famous scholar cannot find relief in his knowledge, nor in his irritated former wife and is therefore condemned to wander alone, following this woman, directly out from a Renoir painting, he love and despise at the same time and his depiction is really living.