French auteuress Claire Denis' globe-roaming drama centres on Louis (Michel Subor), an ageing loner holed up in a woodland cabin. After relinquishing this solitude for a heart-transplant op, he winds his way to the South Seas, searching for his long-lost son...
Sounds straightforward? It's anything but. Going one step beyond the elliptical stylings of Beau Travail and Vendredi Soir, Denis unspools the story in a naggingly elusive, dream-like haze. With dialogue pared to the bone, characters and events - including violent death - come and go without explanation.
Frustrating? You bet. But luxuriate in the gleaming cascade of authentic locations and breath-catching coups (like a human heart on a bed of snow) and this is an offbeat treat. What's more, Subor's regret-etched features lend this a poignant undertow. You'll be baffled and beguiled, but you won't forget it in a hurry.
