les amants de pont-neuf

a few days ago i watched the french film the lovers on the bridge starring juliette binoche (also of the unbearable lightness of being, chocolat, etc.) - only one of the most mind-blowingly beautiful, elegant and graceful females ever to walk the earth. netflix recommended it based on my viewing history and upon seeing binoche's big brown eyes coupled with the words 'love' and 'bridge', i knew i had to see it. i sort of have this thing for bridges - half the time i'm scared to cross them but mostly i think they are the absolute embodiment of all that is romantic.

well, the film didn't portray your typical romance. quite the opposite. it was possibly the most fucked up love story with the most morbid opening to a movie i've ever seen, so disturbing i almost had to turn it off, but alas, couldn't tear myself away as it was done so well.

binoche plays a young starving artist who is on her way to going completely blind. she stumbles upon this fire-breathing heroin addict bum laying in the middle of the street, having just been run over. she thinks he's dead, paints his portrait with her one eye that's still sort of half working and leaves. magically, the fire breather lives and later stumbles upon her at the closed down bridge he calls a home, sees his portrait and is intrigued although he hides it in a fit of rage as she's sleeping on his bench. anyway, they sort of fall in love but its really uncomfortable and unsettling to watch cause binoche has an eye patch on and puss coming out of her other eye most of the time while fire breather who walks with a limp, looks like he's about to die at any given moment. some other fucked up shit happens then they frolic on the beach together, and well, i wont ruin the ending in case you're interested.

its beautifully filmed yet captures a rather gritty side of paris and manages to relate that even the most fucked up people fall in love.

its been a few days since i've seen it but i can't stop thinking about it so i figured i'd share. sorry to curse so much. i get excited.see, such a deceiving cover!