Emploi du temps, L' (2001)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Laurent Cantet

Writers:

Robin Campillo (scenario)
Laurent Cantet (scenario)

Release Date:

14 November 2001 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Now he must decide between his life of lies...or the truth.

Plot:

An unemployed man finds his life sinking more and more into trouble as he hides his situation from his family and friends.

Plot Keywords:

Deception | Family | Fraud | Smuggling | Swindle

Awards:

2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Aurélien Recoing	...	Vincent
Karin Viard	...	Muriel
Serge Livrozet	...	Jean-Michel
Jean-Pierre Mangeot	...	Father
Monique Mangeot	...	Mother
Nicolas Kalsch	...	Julien
Marie Cantet	...	Alice
Félix Cantet	...	Félix
Olivier Lejoubioux	...	Stan
Maxime Sassier	...	Nono
Elisabeth Joinet	...	Jeanne
Nigel Palmer	...	Jaffrey
Christophe Charles	...	Fred
Didier Perez	...	Philippe
Philippe Jouannet	...	Human resources director
Pauline de Laubie	...	Laetitia
Jamila Abdallah	...	Fati
Didier Folques	...	Luc
Sophie Cabaille	...	Valerie
Pascal Maugein	...	Patrick
Jacques Gillot	...	Warehouse customer
Thierry Fernandez	...	Security guard
Elisabeth Lalanne	...	Jeffrey's wife
Lola Rhode	...	Jeffrey's daughter
Manon Lepage	...	Julie
Maryline Merat	...	Jeffrey's secretary
Philippe Maynial	...	Fred's director

Directed by
Laurent Cantet

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Robin Campillo		scenario
Laurent Cantet		scenario

Produced by
Simon Arnal	....	associate producer
Caroline Benjo	....	producer
Barbara Letellier	....	executive producer
Carole Scotta	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Jocelyn Pook

Cinematography by
Pierre Milon

Film Editing by
Robin Campillo
Stephanie Leger

Casting by
Stéphane Batut
Constance Demontoy

Production Design by
Romain Denis

Art Direction by
Patrick Barthelemy
Mario Belf
Brahim El Amrani
Mylene Graziano
Laeticia Lagache
Benoit Noiret
Raymond Pied

Costume Design by
Anne Laval
Elisabeth Mehu

Makeup Department
Manuela Taco	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Christina Crassaris	....	post-production supervisor
Olivier Guerbois	....	unit manager
Jérôme Petament	....	unit manager
Elise Voitey	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Christian Alzieu	....	assistant director
Isabelle Coursin	....	assistant director
Rafaele Ravinet-Virbel	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Vincent Dietschy	....	art consultant
Florent Maillot	....	property master

Sound Department
Nicolas Becker	....	sound effects editor
Fabrice Conesa	....	sound mixer
Valérie Deloof	....	sound editor
Assia Dnednia	....	sound effects editor (as Assia Zipper)
Olivier Mauvezin	....	sound
Agnes Ravez	....	sound editor
Paulin Sagna	....	sound
Francis Violette	....	post-synchronization

Special Effects by
Joaquim Duro	....	special effects
Christophe Schmitt	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Ludovic Caron	....	electrician
Loic Evenou	....	assistant camera
Jean-Michel Fages	....	Steadicam operator
Sophie Lelou Mollard	....	electrician (as Sophie Mollard)
Patrick Llopis	....	grip
Jean-Claude Lother	....	still photographer
Philippe Marton	....	grip
Patrice Milet	....	electrician
Mathilde Perreau	....	assistant camera
Jacques Philipponeau	....	electrician (as Jacques Philipponneau)
Catherine Pujol	....	assistant camera
Jean-Baptiste Thibaud	....	Steadicam operator
Jean-Mary Vodoz	....	electrician
Pierre Weité	....	assistant camera

Music Department
Steve Parr	....	music mixer

Other crew
Agnès Chabot	....	press attache
Emmanuelle de Reynal	....	production assistant
Cathy Tomasi	....	script supervisor
Sandrine Vitali	....	production administrator

Production Companies

• Canal+
• Centre Européen Cinématographique Rhône-Alpes
• Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC)
• Haut et Court
• Havas Images
• Media Productions Incorporated
• Procirep
• Rhône-Alpes Cinéma
• Sofica Sofinergie 5
• arte France Cinéma

Distributors

• A-Film Distribution
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (video)
• Artificial Eye (2002) (UK) (subtitled)
• Golem Distribución (Spain)
• Haut et Court
• Primer Plano Film Group S.A. (Argentina)
• Slovenska Kinoteka (2004) (Slovenia)
• THINKFilm (2002) (USA) (subtitled)

Also Known As:

Time Out (International: English title) (UK)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sensuality.

Runtime:

134 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | France:U | Netherlands:AL | Norway:A | Peru:14 | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | UK:PG | USA:PG-13 | Germany:12

Company:

Canal+

Trivia:

Inspired by a true story, that of Jean-Claude Romand. In reality, Romand went on to kill, on January 9, 1993, his wife, two children and both his parents.

Movie Connections:

Version of Vida de nadie, La (2002)

Killing time

"Time Out" seems to be the wrong translation for "L'emploi du temps". Laurent Cantet, the brilliant French director has given us a film that has a hypnotic quality and makes the viewer thinks. M. Cantet also wrote the material for the movie with Robin Campillo. This is, without a doubt, one of the most satisfying films coming from France in recent memory. As he proved with his "Human Resources", M. Cantet loves to present us stories in which characters are at the crossroads of their lives facing dilemmas related to things in the work environment.

If you haven't watched the film, perhaps you should like to stop reading now.

Vincent, the main character of "Time Out", is seen at the beginning of the film driving aimlessly through rural France, stopping at rest stops to sleep, buying things at roadside shops, or just idling around. When he calls his wife Muriel in his cell phone, we hear banal conversation between a married couple where the husband is calling home to check on his family. The only trouble is that Vincent is unemployed and he is reluctant to break the news to the family.

This man has a lovely wife, three normal children. His parents seem to have a good relationship with him. We see no sight of conflict. That is why so hard to understand what makes Vincent tick. Is it shame? Is it an ego thing? Is it his pride? Nothing seems to answer our questions because for all appearances, he is a normal person.

When Vincent hints about the possibility of a job in Geneva with the UN, his father, as well as the rest of the family believes him. Vincent witnesses a meeting in the UN building about the investment opportunities in Africa and how is that body going to be instrumental in helping the emerging economies. Suddenly, Vincent makes a plan to get some of his friends part with their savings by inventing a sure plan with incredible returns. In a way, it seems that people will be reluctant of schemes such as this one, but obviously, greed play a great deal in their minds and they give money to any charlatan. I know it first hand since I have a close friend that lost a lot of money this way, even though he understood about the risks involved.

Jean Michel, the mysterious man that happens to overhear Vincent pitching the idea to prospective investors, realizes the impossibility of the scheme. Vincent tells him about his plight and Jean Michel offers him a job helping him smuggle the counterfeit merchandise that makes a lot of money.

Unfortunately for liars, discovery is only a phone call away. Muriel finds out the truth and confronts Vincent about it. She tells her father in law, who has given an obscene amount of money to Vincent. When the father arrives at the house, Vincent flees into the night to the comforting highways that have become his best friends because they don't ask anything of him. Eventually, Vincent is seen calling Muriel from a roadside. She pleads with him to come home, but he refuses. The turmoil within his soul will not let him see the end of the tunnel. In his own mind, there is no solution for the problem he created.

The director hints to an easy solution for Vincent with an imminent suicide, but no. In the last sequence that ends the picture, we watch a Vincent dressed all in black being interviewed for a job that his father has been instrumental in securing for him. Are we seeing the truth, or are we seeing what the director has brilliantly done in order to get take us to a possibility that will register as the solution in our minds. The only thing is M. Cantet has left us clues about what really becomes of Vincent.

Aurelien Recoing, is a terrific actor. As times he reminds us of Kevin Spacey, and at times, he resembles a more ethereal James Gandolfini, but make no mistake, M. Recoing is an actor who captured the essence of the troubled Vincent. As Muriel, Karin Viard, is perfect. She gives a restrained performance. Also, Serge Livrozet, the kind Jean Michel, makes a wonderful appearance.

We await for the next work by the amazing Laurent Cantet.