The Big Picture

Poor guy !

Things happen sometimes spiralling, upending your life!

What to do to fix it?

Good casting !

Really impressive film that was gripping and well acted. It did drift a little and had slight pacing issues but did not detract from a compelling piece with excellent lead performances. Duris has impressed me an awful lot in his previous performances and commands the screen really well becoming one of the best leading men around. I also found the locations in Montenegro absolutely stunning and filmed in a way that really added to the feel and mood of the film. I was particularly impressed with the way it ended refusing to indulge and become predictable. This is such a rare thing these days and deserves much credit and shows bravery in both the direction and concept that was clearly well thought out. Bravo!

I saw this film at the 2010 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, and it was a pleasant surprise.

Great performances, tightly directed, and a very compelling storyline, in addition to a being beautifully shot and using some great Magnum Photos in the film as part of the main character's unexpected shift into a new world and a new life.

Based on the American writer Douglas Kennedy's acclaimed book of the same name, but changed to a Euro setting, director Eric Lartigau easily shows how European filmmakers can take the themes of murder, obsession and identity to new artistic heights, while also giving us one of the best thrillers of 2010. It's a thriller as cinematic art as only the Europeans can do.

The film might not have gotten as much attention as other films at TIFF 2010, but it definitely should. I truly hope it gets a wider release here in Canada and elsewhere.

Seek it out. Decidedly worthwhile.

I found the film a bit illogical and ridiculous as the main character's paranoia have not been depicted realistically...well I have seen the film in the french films club lair with my vision distorted by 2 rows of other people. Anyhow the film might have been a great one had it been cut better. Had it say started at the sea and then retrospectively (getting there backwards) let the viewer to discover the whole, a viewer would personalize the idea and intentions better. In the movie on the other hand, one gets to be introduced to the 'normal' person who gets clearly mad, arranging his life as a paranoic schizophrenic yet acting sanely as before so he even manages to lead a life of a star artist with ease. There are some great plot points like leaving of the loved, stealing of the identity, accidental death, unwanted? artistic praise, sea survival friendship. Unfortunately they are loosely connected with the hero's intentions that are depicted not deeply enough to make a good sense... hence a schizophrenic.

I really have to write a review about this great French thriller. Firstly, although not a French Language expert, the original title which means roughly - THE MAN WHO WANTED TO CHANGE HIS LIFE - is much more appropriate than THE BIG PICTURE. Although the circumstances that lead the main character to change his life for something that he should have done years ago were quite shocking, it resonated with me and I am sure so many others. How many of us have not pursued what we were really good at and traded ourselves in to the banal life of the office, security of the pension and benefits etc. etc. The list goes on. If you can watch this film twice then do as you will appreciate it even more. The acting is very good. The ending may confuse some and I have not ticked the spoiler box so will not give anything away. After leaving the auditorium you will piece it together though. Overall an excellent film. The main actor was great in Heartbreaker and the same here with THE BIG PICTURE.