IT BEGINS WITH THE END (Ca commence par la fin) (2010)

Genre: Drama
Director: Michaël Cohen
Cast: Emmanuelle Béart, Michaël Cohen, Jean-Paul Dubois, Meiji U Tum'si, Patrick Vincent, Mikis Cerleix, Shane Vives-Atsara Woodward
Runtime: 1 hr 27 mins
Rating: R21 (Sexual Scenes)
Released By: Shaw
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 25 October 2012

Synopsis: "It Begins with the End" is a hopelessly overwrought tale of romance. First-timer Michaël Cohen directs and stars alongside real-life partner Emmanuelle Béart as two lovers who fight, frolic, fornicate and frolic some more in a flashback-heavy narrative. When Jean (Cohen) spots Gabrielle (Béart) at a cafe sucking on a lemon, his hormones literally explode into his espresso. When she removes her bathrobe and claims, "I'm more than just this," well, he's hooked.

Movie Review:

There’s something about Gabrielle that drives Jean wild.

Be it her alluring mix of cool insoucianceand fiery passion, or the sensuous way her bee-stung lips caresses the lemonsshe eats whole—skin, rind and all, Jean is drawn to the strong-headed yet fragile woman, who is like a petulant child.

But Jean is as crazy as Gabrielle, and like moths to a flame—each fearing yet embracing their combustive end, the two develop a deep and oftentimes sadistic love. When the premonition of a vague and imagined tragedy becomes too unbearable for Gabrielle, she tells Jean that the real proof of their love would be the ability to withstand falling out of it.

After a hiatus, they reunite for a night,and this narrative developsalongside flashback scenes from when they first met (a clue: keep track of the length of Jean’sbeard for a sense of the timeline). While this storytelling technique is not uncommon in many romantic films, It Begins with the End is one of the few that does it best.

For a start, iteschews the clichés of Hollywood romantic dramas. Instead ofindulging in slick or sappy one-liners, the film is peppered with authentic, though-provoking wit. It is refreshing when Gabrielle takes offense to Jean’s question if she loves him, describing his doubt as “tactless.” This instance and many others in the film prove that a little honesty goes a long way in shaking our idealistic strongholds and naïve conceptions of love. It’s really also, just a whole lot cooler than the expression, “I’m a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.” (No prizes for guessing which film.)

Yet it’s less about pretentious content, and more about the genuine complexity and irony of a love so strong that threatens the very relationship between two. Thisaudacious and clever script can only be pulled off by the equally fearless and real-life husband-and-wife team Michaël Cohenand Emmanuelle Béart put on charismatic performances in their roles.

Béart, who rose to fame as the ravishing beauty in Manon of the Spring (1986) (the sequel to the classic Jean de Florette [1986]), and later asthe sultry housemaid in the murder-mystery hit 8 Women(2002), is one of those few actresses whose characteristic visage burns into your mind long after a film. As Gabrielle, herchemistry with Cohen (Jean)is intense and addictive, and the two act out an insatiable, tempestuous love that is poignantly interspersed with light, tender moments when they cuddle, nose-kiss and laugh when they have sex.

Cohen, who also directed the film, is fond of the close-up, and this level of intimacy is just right for a visual discourse on passion (no, not porn). Despite clocking a short 87 minutes, Cohen, a first-time director, demonstrates an excellent sense of timing and balance, knowing when to take his time and when to speed things up. There is pretty intense smothering in many scenes, but the director conveysthe bond between the protagonists in a manner that neither drags nor overwhelms.

The film is sometimes heavy because it is so light. It is also immensely hopeful yet bitterly depressing. For consistently triggering a complex range of emotions in the audience, It Begins with the End is a fine film that’s full of its own personality and humour. The raw, stormy love between Jean and Gabrielle may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it isromance at its consuming best. Andthat’s the love we love to dream of—Irrational. Intense. Impossible.In Gabrielle’s words, “It’snothing like life and yet exactly like it.”

Movie Rating:

(It is rare that a film too risqué for Cannes should find its place on our conservative shores, and an equally good sign that local distributors are catering to more mature tastes)

Review by Tay Huizhen