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L'amour au Temps de la Guerre Civile (French) [Love in the Time of Civil War]

What was the point of this almost 2-hour long film? Really!! Surely, we do see a very unflinching account of the life of a drug addict but then thats all there is to it. Its like we are following a drug addict and seeing what he is doing on a daily basis between trying to find money for drugs (mostly be being a hustler), getting high and then finding a place to sleep. I personally couldn’t find any more logic or reasoning to the whole film besides what I just said.

The film starts with a steamy and graphic sex and drug abuse scene between our protagonist Alex and Bruno. Exact nature of the relationship is not known until Bruno reappears towards the end of the film. After a couple of nights of intense drug use and sex, Bruno leaves and now Alex has to find to make money and get more drugs. He makes friends with his drug dealer and his girlfriend who use Alex’s car to distribute drugs to their customers. This goes on for about 30 minutes or so till they all get arrested. Alex gets released soon he wasn’t dealing and then again begins the same cycle of money, drugs and sex. He then goes to another old pal’s house who stays with his stoned girlfriend. After exhausting a couple of days of being high and sex, he leaves and meets Bruno again. They get a room and then again follows sex and drugs and in the end Bruno ends up ODing himself leaving Alex all alone.

Sure, we do see what these addicts go through, and will do anything o get their high, be a hustler but there is nothing besides that. Alex has no aim and no plans, he is taking one day at a time including where will he sleep at night in the chilly winter. And thats exactly what he makers have shown us. Alex just tries to get by. He maybe high but still not spaced out and till seems focussed. The scenes all start feeling very repetitive to me. The film’s rhythm sways back and forth between intense and impatient, and it indeed tested my patience. I still don’t know the motivation to make the film and making the film so long. On a positive note, the actor playing Alex is pretty darn good. He does his job really really well and given the right kind of opportunities can do some great work. We do not know either Alex’s history or anyone else’s but you still don’t feel empathy for any of them.

All that the film does is shine a light into the spiral of despair that drug addiction can create. You would need patience and maybe a personal history with someone to appreciate this movie better. (3/10)

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