MovieChat Forums > Avant l'hiver (2013) Discussion > How it should have ended (spoilers!)

How it should have ended (spoilers!)

posted 10 years ago by pete-193
8 replies | jump to latest

For the first hour of this near sublime entirely typically French movie I just wanted to live in the world it had created. All the performances were faultless and the detail of the sets and plotting worked beautifully. Then it all started to feel a bit forced and ultimately we had a final ten minutes which seemed unrelated to and unjustified dramatically by the bulk of the film and the characters as we had learnt to understand them.
The section of the interview in the police station relating to how Auteuil's character was being set up was entirely false and it seemed the director was embarrassed enough by its' imposition as to chuck it away in less then half a minute. Cut out it would have had the effect of us simply sympathising with both him and her, and at the fade to black where the policeman says - 'You can decide what to tell your wife' cut to the credits with song playing over them (fully subtitled)

"It ain't like it used to be but it'll do."

[–] felipenor 10 years ago

That does sound better.

[–] esd74 10 years ago

Can you explain the ending to me? Is Lucie guilty? What means that tape?

[–] filmfancy 10 years ago

I didn't like that the scene in the police station was so brief either. It's true the film had been building up to something dark regarding Lou, but we are presented with information about her being a murderer or an accomplice to murder in a very abrupt way. And was her female friend (the one at the florist) her accomplice? If this scenario had been better handled it would have made the film stronger.

I liked the film however and thought Auteuil, Scott Thomas, and Bekhti were excellent. The story between Bekhti and Auteuil was intriguing--I wanted more intimate scenes (not necessarily romantic) with them as their characters seemed to bring out the best in each other. It took too long to discover Lou's true character (literally until the last moments of the film).

I would have liked more information about the connection between Lucie and Gérard--there seemed to be a suggestion that he could be Victor's father.

I also would have liked Lucie to be more assertive with Paul. She seems like a strong woman but is so patient with Paul's growing distance and furtive behaviour. I liked that they lived in a glass house, which seemed so sterile--it suited their distant relationship. I guess this was why the character of Lucie's sister was included--she bitterly remarks on the differences between her and Lucie's lives, as well as making mention of that glass house.

There are parallels between her and Lou, as well--each one has had a difficult life, however Mathilde has her family taking care of her while Lou had no one after her grandmother died and grew up in an orphanage.

What I liked most about the film was the subtle transformation Paul undergoes after meeting Lou. Even at the end she still haunts him. Lou is the key character, prompting Paul to briefly step away from who he has become and allow himself to feel again. The question at the end seems to be whether he will ever be the same.

And all the pieces matter (The Wire)

[–] jtdeclercq 10 years ago

Concur with everything, Filmfancy. The sudden revelation Lou was a murderer came as a shock, but it somehow blew over as sudden as it came.

And yes, there was a hint that Gérard was Victor's father, and rather blatantly so. I visited this board because I was curious as to how others perceived this, but there's not much discussion going on here, sad to say.

All in all I thought it was a good film, the acting of Auteuil and Scott Thomas was above par, as to be expected, but yes, at the end it felt something was missing. To this end, your post was enlightening. Thanks.

[–] iamjohnsname 9 years ago

Victor is most definitely Gerard's son rather than Paul's in my opinion.

Aside from the password on his computer being "Victor", when Victor asks "Who's winning?" during the final tennis match, Lucie responds "Your father."

Then Gerard is victorious and Victor says "No, Gerard won." So My suggestion is that Gerard is his father but he is unaware of that.

I am a little lost as to the grander meaning of the film though. The tape Lou gave Paul... what was its significance? The ending with Paul and Lucie standing there with the tape playing... I was lost as to what it all symbolised.

Sooner or later, everyone needs a haircut.

[–] JeramyEdison 9 years ago

I missed those points! Thank you.

Perhaps listening to the tape at the end was meant to show that Paul still had not completely come to terms with what he had been told and was still holding on to the memories of his time with Lou. She's gone but listening to the tape allows him to remember her.

[–] dxben99 9 years ago

The movie felt very incomplete. I agree that Gerard being Victor's father was pretty much obvious, but nothing really came of it. The thing with the girls being killers all of a sudden totally threw me off. And then the movie just ends. I was like WTF... :D

[–] 9 years ago

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