Partir

Though it initially boasts the feel of an almost eye-rollingly routine French drama revolving around infidelity, Partir slowly-but-surely morphs into a far less predictable piece of work than one might’ve anticipated based on the set-up. The film stars Kristin Scott Thomas as Suzanne, a wealthy housewife who is preparing to go back into the workforce after raising two children – with her decision to open a physiotherapy office out of her home eventually bringing her into contact with swarthy contractor Ivan (Sergi Lopez). It’s not long before the two have embarked on a torrid affair; Suzanne’s unexpected decision to tell her husband (Yvan Attal’s Samuel) about the relationship sets the movie’s consistently surprising second half into motion, in which – without delving too far into spoiler territory – Suzanne is quickly forced to go to incredible lengths to sustain her coupling with Ivan. There’s little doubt that Partir initially benefits substantially from Scott Thomas’ superb, downright magnetic performance, as the actress effectively ensures that Suzanne remains a sympathetic figure even in the face of some seriously (and increasingly) questionable choices. The otherwise far-from-enthralling atmosphere persists right up until Suzanne comes clean with Samuel, after which point the deliberately-paced narrative becomes awfully difficult to resist. Filmmaker Catherine Corsini’s fly-on-the-wall visual sensibilities proves an appropriate complement to her low-key screenplay, although one can’t help but question her decision to kick off the storyline with a flash-forward involving Suzanne and a gunshot (ie the revelation that this whole thing is going to turn out badly for someone colors the remainder of the proceedings). The final result is an appealingly accessible endeavor that one can easily envision being remade somewhere down the line, with, say, Diane Lane, Richard Gere, and Antonio Banderas undoubtedly a comfortable fit for their French-language predecessors.

*** out of ****