The title is the first three words of a very famous Victor Hugo 's poem :as this poem is about a visit to a grave , it fits the movie like a glove.
Mathieu is a pianist virtuoso ,so his life is exciting and he does need any way out .So far.His brother Paul ,as soon as we meet him , seems irrational ,behind his smile .Perhaps to forget all about his sick mom, he 's involved in very special role plays :to live in another time, to reenact old historic battles ,and to find back a sense of honor through duels (which,although forbidden by Richelieu survived till the nineteenth century in France).And to look very spick and span in an uniform of yore,what a thrill!But the border between game and "for real " is thin .And Mathieu who accompanies his brother is spellbound.
The cinematography in the dewy forests at dawn is superb ;these settings give one the strange feeling of entering another world .As for the performances, IMHO, Jérémie Rénier effortlessly blows Vincent Perez off the screen.