I enjoyed Les Passagers de la Nuit. Charlotte Gainsbourg played an older woman than she usually does in this one, so that was interesting. I had to keep telling myself she's older! She's the mother! However she is quite good in the new role. Absolutely believable.
I'm not sure what the theme of the movie was, other than "Keep on chugging away at life. Through all its pitfalls, you will come out okay if you just keep going." So while darkness is present, there will be light if you keep moving. The movie is up-lifting. I do not like films or novels that wallow in darkness.
Those who who are habituated to watching French films will not be disappointed. The movie has the French film fundamental requisites: Nudity and smoking are present, especially smoking. I think the writer tries to make a point about smoking, but I'm not sure what it is. Its presence is all that is necessary or expected. Sort of like how you can't be disappointed by Charlotte Gainsbourg. Her presence is enough. I feel the same about Mathieu Amalric (Note: he's not in this movie). If he's in it the movie, it's good.
The plot here, in which Charlotte takes in a stray young girl, who happens to be addicted to heroin, who becomes involved with her son, is pretty minimal. In American movies, you'd maybe have a super-hero landing in front of the stray before she can take a dose. Here the super-hero is Charlotte, who is dealing with the somewhat mysterious loss of her husband. I could be wrong, but I don't think we find out why they broke up. What we do see is Charlotte's courage in dealing with the job market and the burden and joy of raising her son and daughter plus the stray. Just watch the movie. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
I saw the movie on TV 5 with English subtitles. If your French isn't great, this is best. If your French isn't too bad, watch with French subtitles. If your hearing and French are very good, watch on without a net.
One last thing: I became interested in the Gainsbourgs ever since Michael Moore used "Je t'aime. . . . Moi Non Plus" brilliantly in his movie Sicko. However, if you're American and have never heard of Serge Gainsbourg, I think you'll still like the film. The Gainsbourg saga is quite interesting, though. As I'm from New Orleans, I got to hear "Je t'aime" in 1969, when it first came out. In many places it was banned. So when Michael Moore used the song, it struck a chord (ha, ha) with me. A blast from the past. But none of that's necessary to enjoy this film.
