Rating:  -
'Come Undone' is a special film which puts together the coming together of two young men as lovers, with the inescapable trajectories of their own family histories. Sometimes sex and even love are not enough to overcome the fact that one's family is disintegrating, and you have lost your way in terms of working out a future. Stephane Rideau is as marvellous as he was in 'Wild Reeds' (surely that film needs re-release on DVD). 'Come Undone' has high production values and is intellectually challenging as the audience tries to work out what leads to the suicide attempt. At the same time there are great and engaging scenes of sex and love. This film works very well.
Rating:  -
It was only after the 2nd viewing that I came to realize how much I really loved this film. It essentially has 3 timelines and they all interchange, with no real defining of when the timeline has shifted. It takes a couple of minutes before you realize that you're looking at Mathieu dealing with depression, looking at Mathieu on the beach with Cedric, or looking at Mathieu getting to the point of dealing with his depression. You must pay attention or else you'll be confused. After getting used to the format, I was able to enjoy it much more, especially the 2nd time through.
The majority of the story deals with Mathieu and his first gay affair with Cedric while on vacation. The realization of sexuality isn't portrayed with the typical anguish or guilt and revulsion; it's simply a realization. There are seemingly extraneous issues, Mathieu's mother and her depression and his revoltingly oppressive sister, but those issues become important when we witness Mathieu's own mental breakdown. Was it because of Cedric, Mathieu's dysfunctional family, the pain of coming out? If you're looking for answers, don't, because you won't get any. The story doesn't really have an end; the viewer is left to wonder about so many things and come to their own conclusions.
For Americans, this is a very frustrating exercise because we expect stories with beginnings, middles, and ends. A haunting soundtrack and amazing cinematography enhance. Both actors in the lead roles are gorgeous; but, beware, there is quite a bit of graphic nudity and one really full-on sex scene. If you let go of convention, you can love the movie for what it is, an unconventional study of an intense and consuming relationship.
Rating: -
'Presque Rien' ('Come Undone') is an earlier work by the inordinately gifted writer/ director Sébastien Lifshitz (with the collaboration of writer Stéphane Bouquet - the team that gave us the later 'Wild Side'). As we come to understand Lifshitz's manner of storytelling each of his works becomes more treasureable. By allowing his tender and sensitive love stories to unfold in the same random fashion found in the minds of confused and insecure youths - time now, time passed, time reflective, time imagined, time alone - Lifshitz makes his tales more personal, involving the viewer with every aspect of the characters' responses. It takes a bit of work to key into his method, but going with his technique draws us deeply into the film.
Mathieu (handsome and gifted Jérémie Elkaïm) is visiting the seaside for a holiday, a time to allow his mother (Dominique Reymond) to struggle with her undefined illness, cared for by the worldly and wise Annick (Marie Matheron) and accompanied by his sister Sarah (Laetitia Legrix): their distant father has remained at home for business reasons. Weaving in and out of the first moments of the film are images of Mathieu alone, looking depressed, riding trains, speaking to someone in a little recorder. We are left to wonder whether the unfolding action is all memory or contemporary action.
While sunning at the beach Mathieu notices a handsome youth his age starring at him, and we can feel Mathieu's emotions quivering with confusion. The youth Cédric (Stéphane Rideau) follows Mathieu and his sister home, continuing the mystery of attraction. Soon Cédric approaches Mathieu and a gentle introduction leads to a kiss that begins a passionate love obsession. Mathieu is terrified of the direction he is taking, rebuffs Cédric's public approaches, but continues to seek him out for consignations. The two young men are fully in the throes of being in love and the enactment of the physical aspect of this relationship, so very necessary to understanding this story, is shared with the audience in some very erotic and sensual scenes. Yet as the summer wears on Mathieu, a committed student, realizes that Cédric is a drifter working in a condiment stand at a carnival. It becomes apparent that Cédric is the Dionysian partner while Mathieu is the Apollonian one: in a telling time in architectural ruin Mathieu is excited by the beauty of the history and space while Cédric is only interested in the place as a new hideaway for lovemaking.
Mathieu is a complex person, coping with his familial ties strained by critical illness and a non-present father, a fear of his burgeoning sexuality, and his nascent passion for Cédric. Their moments of joy are disrupted by Cédric's admission of infidelity and Mathieu's inability to cope with that issue and eventually they part ways. Time passes, family changes are made, and Mathieu drifts into depression including a suicide attempt. The manner in which Mathieu copes with all of these challenges and finds solace, strangely enough, in one of Cédric's past lovers Pierre (Nils Ohlund) brings the film to an ambiguous yet wholly successful climax.
After viewing the film the feeling of identification with these characters is so strong that the desire to start the film from the beginning now with the knowledge of the complete story is powerful. Lifshitz has given us a film of meditation with passion, conflicts with passion's powers found in love, and a quiet film of silences and reveries that are incomparably beautiful. The entire cast is superb and the direction is gentle and provocative. Lifshitz is most assuredly one of the bright lights of filmmaking. In French with English subtitles. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, December 05
Rating:  -
Warning: It is not worthing If you like love story, forget it. Go for "Just a question of love" or "Latter Days". And If you're interested in nudity, well, you won't get much. Although you see a very and close shot of Jeremie's (?)juicy toy. However, the film is French. As any good French movie, it has to be strange. It seems the film and characters go nowhere, and by the end, you are sure that they went nowhere. I felt frustrated.
You never really know what they are thinking or feeling, but that's okay, sometimes, neither we do. After the disappointment I can say that overall I like it because it makes you think. Both boys have problems concerning their inner feelings and you see neither of them are mature enough to speak out. And we adults can't do that either.
But nevertheless, if you like uneasy stories and French movies. That's the one.
Rating: -
I think the director needs prozac to direct this movie, the whole plot is so mess up, junior high student can write better story than this..what was he thinking. don't waste your money buying this movie
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