Rating: 
Summary: Take a time out-please!
Review: 'Time Out' is a typical French film in that nothing much happens. It is at first a relief not to be confronted with explosions, shootings, computer-generated aliens, or the other staples of Hollywood films. There is, however, nothing of substance to hold one's attention. After two hours of watching the lead character wander around trying to convince others (perhaps even himself) that he has something 'big' in the works, I finally screamed at the TV. ENOUGH ALREADY! It's simply BORING and LONG. Perhaps the director is trying to communicate to us the feeling of hopelessness and restlessness that the unemployed main character is experiencing. That's just what we need: the cinematic equivalent of waiting in the unemployment line. No thank you!
NOT RECOMMENDED EXCEPT FOR THOSE WITH INSOMNIA.
Rating: 
Summary: suffocating, boring and pathetic
Review: fired then tried very hard to maintain the regular living style and won't let any family members know the situation. wondering and sleep in the car. cheating all the time to anyone you meet. what a pathetic situation. man oh man, i do know some similar situation during my jobless years except i didn't have the opportunity to put scams on others and get their savings. but this movie is so suffocating albeit boring and contrite. after 30 minutes watching, you need to force yourself to see it thru. well, pathetic life and pathetic situation really don't need anybody to do any further study. if you like this movie, then you better watch those cheating donation ads like 'feed the children' and those unitedway's commercials. to me, all the churchs are just business that don't need sellers' permits and always tax exempted. and those so-called pastors, vicars, preachers, fathers, board members of the church (don't know why there are board members of a church, might just a nickname for a corporate), well, they are just business owners, man, did you ever get the real picture? did you ever see those 'churchs for sale' ads on the web? 'good location, good, rich neighborhood, good clientelle, monthly gross over or around $$$$.....sell under market price..." try it, you won't be disappointed, man.
Rating: 
Summary: Intense, Excellent Movie
Review: I saw "Time Out" while I was out of work. It brought up a lot of uncomfortable feelings and issues. Especially the pride issue, of how you feel when you don't have a job to identify with. The movie is based on a real story, which is even more amazing and sad than the movie.
Rating:
Summary: Intense, Excellent Movie
Review: I saw "Time Out" while I was out of work. It brought up a lot of uncomfortable feelings and issues. Especially the pride issue, of how you feel when you don't have a job to identify with. The movie is based on a real story, which is even more amazing and sad than the movie.
Rating:
Summary: A disturbingly chilling and satisfying film.
Review: My girlfriend and I went to go see this movie a bit ago at an International Film Festival here in Minneapolis, not knowing what the movie was about, or who was in it. Although she hated, I absolutely loved it! The story revolves around a man, Vincent, who loses his job and doesn't have the courage to tell his family. To cover for his failure, he concocts an outrageous story about a new job he has gotten for the United Nations, and as the film progresses, we watch as his life goes into a downward spiral. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of this film is the fact that it is truly realistic, both in dealing with the idea of failure and the idea of hopelessness. It's painful to watch, as Vincent wastes away his days doing nothing, while calling his wife to tell her that work is going great, yet at the same time, we can identify with his situation. Pride is one of the greatest human flaws, and the film expertly examines it. Overall, a great film, one that I strongly recommend. Action fans, though, will be very disappointed, as it is truly a character examination piece.
Rating: 
Summary: Daddy's boy
Review: The French are masters of subtlety and here's another film that proves it. Vincent, a quiet family man, keeps up the appearance of having his job to make his family--wife and three kids--feel secure with him. But there is another force working at Vincent, inside him and it is just as powerful, if not more so, in his game-playing. He is in thrall to his father, a wealthy businessman who, thanks to his great success, has been able to not only raise Vincent well but also psychologically tie a noose around his neck his entire life. Although this does not seem to be a major theme, it becomes crystal clear near the end of the film. Vincent's own "success" is a mockery of his father's as he scams people left and right, lies to those he knows and loves, and engages in criminal activity. This subtle display of familial dysfunction is a brilliant psychological character study and for that reason alone, makes this a film worth not only watching but owning. It's possible not too many others will have this interpretation of the film, but from my perspective, that's what it is. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Daddy's boy
Review: The French are masters of subtlety and here's another film that proves it. Vincent, a quiet family man, keeps up the appearance of having his job to make his family--wife and three kids--feel secure with him. But there is another force working at Vincent, inside him and it is just as powerful, if not more so, in his game-playing. He is in thrall to his father, a wealthy businessman who, thanks to his great success, has been able to not only raise Vincent well but also psychologically tie a noose around his neck his entire life. Although this does not seem to be a major theme, it becomes crystal clear near the end of the film. Vincent's own "success" is a mockery of his father's as he scams people left and right, lies to those he knows and loves, and engages in criminal activity. This subtle display of familial dysfunction is a brilliant psychological character study and for that reason alone, makes this a film worth not only watching but owning. It's possible not too many others will have this interpretation of the film, but from my perspective, that's what it is. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Thought provoking film
Review: The French film "Time Out," is the story of Vincent (Aurelien Recoing)--a middle-aged man who loses his job and begins a series of deceptions rather than admit the truth to his loyal wife Muriel (Karin Viara) and his critical father and supportive mother. Vincent spins a web of impressive lies, and these include his new elite job with the U.N. in Switzerland. Vincent's parents don't smell a rat when he wheedles a "loan" from them that will fund his relocation, but Muriel remains mildly suspicious. Vincent spends weeks away from home and returns with elaborate stories about his new job. Family and friends are spellbound by the tales of his success, and soon he's driving a fancy new car and bragging about his non-existent apartment in Geneva. In order to finance his rock-n-roll lifestyle, Vincent contacts old friends and convinces them to invest in some foreign business--cash up front, of course. While some people are motivated to greedily hand over their hard-earned francs, others invest because they trust Vincent and want to share his apparent good fortune. Obviously, Vincent's fantasy life cannot last forever. It is only a matter of time before something goes wrong. The photography in "Time Out" is absolutely beautiful--especially the scenes in Switzerland. As Vincent's car negotiates the snow-filled landscape, somehow the viewer shares Vincent's sense of bleakness and isolation. This clever film manages to emphasize Vincent's remoteness and isolation in scenes involving a packed school and a busy office complex. In a crowded room, Vincent is still alone. The role of Vincent is a first for Aurelien Recoing. Prior to this film, Recoing directed, and yet he really was perfect for this role--so self-contained and self-composed, a very plausible liar, but he also conveys a quiet desperation that plunges him into lies that inevitably must fail. Is he a failure who wants to be admired by his family, or is he someone who has spent a lifetime out of touch with reality? This is for the viewer to decide, and ultimately, the interpretation of the protagonist's character and motivation are left to the audience--displacedhuman--Amazon Reviewer--
Rating:
Summary: A MASTERPIECE
Review: Timeout contains many layers of complex human elements which combined together make a very haunting and bleak film.The film is about a man who loses his job and cannot bring himself to reveal this to his family.He goes out everyday as if he still has a job and wanders around office buildings,hotels,gets into some illegal business and lies to his family about having a prestigious job in the U.N.
The setting is a gray country side in the winter,the shots of the highway covered in snow twist my stomach in a feeling of discomfort.You can really sense the bleak and depressing mood of this film just from watching the the faces on the screen and looking at the cold landscapes which are very pronounced throughout the film.
Some may find the film boring,some may find it too depressing and some will love it.I love it.
Rating:
Summary: The Search for Meaning in Ordinary Life
Review: Vincent is an average working stiff family man who suddenly lose his job. Finding another job is not really the problem, something deeper than unemployment is troubling this man. His old job so consumes him, yet at the same time is so meaningless to him, that he panicks and become slightly unhinged. He doesn't tell his family, and pretend to be still working, spending his days driving around the country side, sitting in parks. Gradually, he descend into moral seediness. What's disturbing is that this guy has a very loving family and good, decent friends. It's the man's relationship with his work that's troubling. The movie didn't really come together for me until the very last shot, where the themes of the movie that bubbled under the surface rise up in the subtle emotions of his face as a quiet trap close over him. Some people may say, "Well, he is bored with his job, so what? Many of us are!" But I think that's merely the surface of what he is going through. He is a lost man desperately searching for meaning and passion in life. In that aspect, his struggles are like many of our daily struggles amplified, and deserve our sympathy.
|
