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Paul (Mathieu Amalric) is a graduate student in philosophy, nearing30 years of age, and in a state of stasis: mired in the now-stifling worldof academia as a junior instructor, he's stuck on a thesis he can't finish and a 10-year relationship he can't end. When a former classmate turned academic rival is hired on as a full professor, it's too much for the self-pitying scholar. About all he can do is engage in endless conversations about heady French philosophers, drink, and escape his stifling existence in a series of sexual relationships with the gorgeous girlfriends of his buddies. Arnaud Desplechin's study of identity crisis on the cusp of adulthood is filled with so much neurosis, jealousy, guilt, denial, rationalization, and malaise that everyone's bound to identify with something. My Sex Life... is three hours long and the characters never stop talking; stripped of its character dynamics and spot-on behavioral observations it might seem like a Gallic apology for libido-driven male behavior. But Desplechin entirely justifies the entire three hours with a film rich in character, wry humor, and genuine affection. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (10)

hmm
the first hour of this movie satisfactorily grabbbed my attention, and based on the comments of other amazon customers, i expected it to improve considerably. it didn't.

i knew a great deal of the movie would be conversations. unfortunately, most of them were rather banal. for substance, there was one glib quote by kierkegaard and one by kundera. some of the main character's reflections on the nature of relationship were somewhat insightful. however, most of the other talk centered, unfortunately, on the other characters' sexual ups and downs, which is not necessarily awful, if you like that sort of thing.

aside from that, the acting was good, the actresses rather enchanting. although i did find the contrast peculiar, in the scenes in which they were totally nude and the males fully dressed, which was the standard within the film.

disappointed, deeply...
This is a lovely film, at least it was when I saw its premier screening at the MFA in Boston. I loved the characters & dialogue, had been eagerly awaiting its appearance as/on a dvd, but, while it's here, the transfer/compression of it blows. The image quality's so poor & the colors incredibly bleached out. I wan my money back & or a better transfer (preferably). To whom do I bring my complaint to? Do the europeans lack for technology? A poor transfer was also done to another great (foreign) film, a Spanish one, titled "Vacas", which is a great film, though, not on dvd.

A Movie for Young Intellectuals
If you're looking for steamy sex scenes, forget it; while this movie does deal with sex, it does so through discussion and debate, two highly-regarded French art forms! (Perhaps a lot of the disappointment surrounding this film is due to the fact that the title was inversed when it was released in the U.S.: The French title is "How I Got Into an Argument (My Sex Life).") But don't write the film off yet; it is an excellent thinking-person's romantic comedy.

Mathieu Amalric is superb as Paul Dedalus, the central character of the film. (Amalric is excellent in any movie, actually.) Paul is a graduate student instructor who is brilliant, but lazy, and undecided in all the major areas of his life. He is too afraid to dedicate himself to a career as a professor, so he has been delaying writing his doctoral thesis for years. Though he has been with Esther for ten years, that does not indicate any form of commitment on his end, as he will not let the relationship mature or change in any form; he cannot break up with her, and he cannot remain faithful to her. Paul idolizes his only friend, Nathan, a professor of the same age who is not as brilliant as Paul, but has had the admirable drive to at least complete his thesis and secure a teaching post at the university. At the same time, Paul despises his ex-best friend Frederic, who is nearly as bright as Paul, but has an obsessive ambition and forceful ego that have propelled him to department chair over Paul. Paul has affairs with Nathan's girlfriend Sylvia, and her sister-in-law Valerie (both of whom have emotional/mental problems of their own), justifying that each one is better than Esther because they either have a job, a place of their own, and/or educational goals (none of which Paul really has for himself). Paul fancies himself Esther's rock, and eventually dumps her because "no one can carry the weight of someone else's responsibilities." The story, which switches between the present time, a few months earlier, and a year earlier, shows how Karma whips Paul around a bit, and forces him to come to terms with his insecurities, his future, and most importantly, his love for Esther.

Paul may be the main character, but Esther (a wonderful performance from the little-seen Emmanuelle Devos) is the true hero of the film. Desplechin's direction is so subtle, yet precise, that at the beginning of the film, we aren't even aware that we are seeing Esther through Paul's eyes: At first, Esther is needy, whiney, suffocating and ugly (a reflection on his esteem for her). But in the middle of the film, after the break up, we see Esther bloom. She all of a sudden becomes stunning, but not through any superficial changes. We see Esther as she truly is: Beautiful, intelligent, and completely self-sufficient, with an amazing and quiet courage. Paul may not be able to carry her responsibility, but all along, it was actually she who carried his. Her greatest fault, as well as her best quality and strength, is her love for Paul, which he is too blind to see at first, then later realizes. (Another credit to Desplechin's direction: Even when Esther is most angry at Paul, you unconsciously see him through her eyes, and see just how charming and intelligent she thinks him to be.) If you're a girl whose heart has been broken, you will relate to Esther's silent moments, her wailing moments, and her struggle to move on with her life.

Don't expect things to tie up neatly; real life never resolves itself in simple, concrete ways, and neither do French films. Along with Esther and Paul's doings, we also peek into the lives of Paul's friends and family members, who are all in their mid-twenties and early thirties, and are similarly at crossroads-with-no-signs points in their lives. This large cast of characters plays out the problem of intellectual youth: As bright as they are about academic matters, they are ignorant when it comes to human relationships, including the way they view themselves. Probably also attributed to the otherwise admirable French qualities of discussion and debate, they rationalize or theorize too much on their problems and situations in order to avoid making decisions or taking responsibility for their actions.

Do not be put off by the serious and cerebral topics of this film: It is extremely funny, but in an intelligent sort of way. Very little of the humor is physical or circumstantial (although it does have its moments where you will burst out laughing, such as the scene where the monkey gets stuck behind the heater, which a previous reviewer mentioned).

"My Sex Life" also offers an alternative view to Paris; it is the setting for all of Paul's romantic moments, but the city has never looked so grey, which reflects the loneliness of the students' lives as they struggle to find love, while blind to the love that is already there. No glamourous scenes, no sunny makes-you-happy-to-be-alive moments; this movie is as gritty as real life, and just as interesting.

Mathieu Amalric and Emmanuelle Devos were both nominated for Most Promising Actor and Actress Cesar awards (the French version of the Oscar)for this film. (Amalric took home the award.)

Video Transfer is still poor for DVD
First of all, I like this movie and had seen it on VHS before ordering it on DVD. I thought it would be a good movie to learn some French by turning off the subtitles since it has a lot of dialog and is long. I was wrong.

Problem 1: You can't turn the subtitles off.

This is ridiculous for as recent a movie as this. They obviously could have found a print without the subtitles and then offered subtle options on the DVD menu.

Problem 2: The subtitles are in white.

Again ridiculous - yellow or white with a thin black border obviously work better when against a white tablecloth or sheet (which happens several times).

Problem 3: The video quality is terrible. I've watched 50 or so DVD's by now and this one is not up to par - it almost looks like it is raining in some of the darker scenes outside. They even left the annoying marks on the upper right for a film reel change in. I can't wait till all films are just shot digitally in the first place, so we never have to get stuck with these bad transfers again.

My advice is to rent it, or if you have a player for the European region, perhaps their version is better.

Poor video transfer?
I sent the VHS version of this movie back largely unseen because the subtitles were so fuzzy. The overall video quality, in fact, I think is suspect. I look forward to watching this movie when it is successfully transferred to DVD. ... Read more

Description

Mathias (Emmanuel Salinger), a medical intern, finds himself drawn into a world of international intrigue after discovering a shrunken human head in his luggage. This discovery soon consumes his life, as he becomes obsessed with uncovering its origins, Mathias becomes a target for the French Secret Service who will do anything to protect their secrets. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Subtle, symbolic
The son of a diplomat (read espionage agent) chooses to become a pathologist and in turn treats the individuals he meets with more dignity and respect than the world of diplomats that surround him.

Mathias is not easily shaken, as one imagines a pathologist would be. Caught in the middle of international espionage, he acts with confidence and consistency, keeping the spies at bay while he hurries to identify the head that has come into his keeping.

The film has a subtle yet deliberate pace that weaves romance and light-humor in with some very macabre content -- reflecting Mathias' own life. This is not an easy story to dissect. In the confusing post-cold-war world, everyone is uneasy it seems, except a humble pathologist.

I was left wanting a bit more resolution, not of plot but of characters. Still it is a charm all its own that makes it worth watching again.

I can't even begin to imagine how an American director would butcher this delicate story -- so many little details that would be brushed aside for suspense or gore or sex. I can see Ben Affleck now in a high-speed espionage thriller...that completely misses the point.

Head Games.....
This review refers to the DVD(Fox Lorber)edition of "La Sentinelle"......

Mathias, a reserved, quiet student of Forensic Pathology, is returning to France after completing his studies in Germany.Before reaching Paris, he is stopped for what seems to be a routine but threatening border check. After being questioned by a mysterious agent, he is found to be harmless, he is released,and as far as he's concerned it's over and done with...that is until he finds a very unusal item in his luggage...a human head!

At first he is so taken aback by his discovery, he can hardly think what to do. But eventually, being trained in Forensic Medicine,his curiosity gets the best of him and he puts his talents to work to piece together this mysterious puzzle. Curiosity soon turns to an obsession that has Mathias, spending every waking moment on this "project". At times, it almost seems like he is a sentry, standing guard over it. His findings also involve him deeply in political intrigue that has now turned him into a target for the French Secret Service.

It's a terrific French thriller, but not in the way you may think by looking at the cover art of the DVD. You won't be jumping out of your skin by frightening images.It's more of a suspenseful psychological thriller,along the lines of something like "Three Days of the Condor". Director Arnaud Desplechin expertly keeps you involved and intrigued every step of the way.The marvelous cast includes Emmanuel Salinger, Thibault De Montalembert and Jean-Louis Richard, all turning in excellent performances.

The DVD presents a very nice picture, and good sound in DD2.0 surround. It is in French with English subtitles and you will also find filmographies on several of the actors.

If you are in the mood for something French, something suspenseful, or something different..check this one out.
Get the popcorn ready and enjoy....Laurie

Fine Excellent Non-American View of the Cold War's Last Days
This movie is ambiented in the months before the natural(provoqued?) collapse of the Soviet Union in a country (France) where the last dirty battles between West and East are being played at expense of lifes and fortunes on both sides. The film is not short in denouncing snippets of high level corruption in the West (eg. Churchill conniving with Stalin in the WWII and the 'necessary' elimination -in the West- of 'dissenting' refugees of the East). This fact alone distinguish the film of

thousands of spy trash movies made from the point of view of the winner of the Cold War game. The narrative quality of the story is appalling and make this movie exceptional in the french cinema. If you have brainwashed preconceptions about how this conflict was fought please do not see this film. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

If you don't love movies, don't see this one...
But if you DO love movies, well, the more you love and appreciate them, the more you will love and appreciate this one! This is an AMAZING homage to movies and to the role they play in our lives. It is boundless in its imagination, wit and charm, and it balances beautifully between the sophisticated and the sentimental. I love the cinema from France and from all other countries, but I watched this with someone who had not seen many films outside the USA and he still managed to adore this, even though he was unfamiliar with many of the films and stars that are referred to in this film. The more familiar one is with French cinema, the more one will appreciate this film, but there are plenty of Hollywood films and stars that are referred to as well (including a scene with a Liz Taylor clone that is hilarious!). This film's quintessential charm will hold anyone in a spell who knows intrinsically that cinema equals MAGIC! Varda understands that perfectly (as did her late husband, the great director Jacques Demy, who she also refers to in this film). She creates a loving tribute to the past century of films just in time to celebrate its centennial (fans of the Lumiere Brothers and Georges Melies will identify some great gags associated with their films!). If you aren't already obsessive about movies, you will be after seeing this one!
This one definitely deserves a hundred and one stars!!

One Hundred and One Nights
I completely disagree with the reviewer from New York! I LOVED this video! Any fan of old french and italian cinema will love this title! What a treat to see such great talents as Mastrioanni, Depardieu, Deneuve, Moreau - just to name a few, together with American actors such as DeNiro and Eastwood. Going down memory lane with M. Cinema and having the opportunity to see old film clips from past european films is truly delicious! If you're a film history buff and appreciate the european flavor of expression, you will love this film!

Lousy Film by a Brilliant Filmmaker
It is so sad to see such a brilliant filmmaker (and so many talented actors) create such a stupid, incoherent, pointless, unfunny, meandering, clichéd-filled, hodge-podge of a film. It is horrifying to witness the indignities that she imposes on her poor actors (particularly Jeanne Moreau). How is it possible that the same woman can create such brilliant, insightful and truly beautiful films (like Vagabond and Cleo From 5 to 7) and then also create such lousy ones (like 101 Nights and Kung-Fu Master)? Does she have an evil twin? Is she schizophrenic? What is going on?

. . .
Once again Fox Lorber has subverted a very good film by notputting it in its proper aspect ratio. . . This is especially ironicsince the film is a wonderfully silly homage to the 100th birthday of cinema. The DVD is proof just how much the businessmen can screw up this art form. But the film has a BIG allstar cast with Michel Piccoli playing Mr. Cinema. Marcello Mastroianni gives a wonderfully silly spoof of himself (topped only by the short scene of Jean-Paul Belmondo working as a quack doctor after giving up acting.) And where else can you see Robert DeNiro woo Catherine Deneuve in a small boat on a very small pond? I watch lots of foreign cinema and even I'm left guessing at many of the film references so good hunting. It helps to have seen more than a few Bunuel films. And Piccolli does an imitation of Orson Wells I haven't stopped laughing about. ... Read more

Description

An anxious young tailor dominated by his father, a master of the craft, is eager to do well with his clients; but his inadequacy in measuring leaves him frustrated and humiliated. His younger sister - an expert seamstress - arrives back in town, discovers his measuring weakness and begins a cruel reign of terror over him, humiliating him in front of customers. Pushed to the edge, the young tailor heads down the nightmarish road to insanity and murder. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

yawn fest
This movie is lame, slow, boring, low budget and a sad, sad pathetic excuse for a film. This doesn't even deserve one star, there is probably as much as 20 words spoken in this movie and that includes the '12, 15' for when the tailors are guessing the waist, hips, etc sizes. I was truly shocked when I saw that this had more than 1 star for the average reviews. Half of this movie is zoomed in on the main characters face while he slowly goes crazy, taking all of us with him. If this movie gets more than 1 star from you ... you really need to expand your movie collection.

dark humor
This film made me wonder about all the crazy things going on in the backrooms of shops. The tailor guy is totally wacky. I thought the film had a cool, subdued mood and well-crafted, surprisingly so at the end. There were some parts that were a bit eccentric, but the maniac tailor is eccentric too. It pulled me into a weird place and time.

Uninteresting...Boring...Low Budget ...
I believe next to the Trial, Kafka's depressing tale of nothingness, this low budget, terrible acting and totally insane film is the worst movie I have seen. Total waste of time and money...

spooky
a different kind of thriller. creepy, eerie, takes it's time, a European-like horror film. if you're looking for cheap horror, this is not it. it's atmospheric & bizarre. effective, fairly scary portrayal of how things disintegrate little by little into meaninglessness and paranoia when someone is insane. Recommended.

creepy boring
while one can appreciate the extremely creepy setting and stylishly dark direction,I found that the story had little to offer,more like nothing,actually.The film is about two taylor siblings reunited,which sets one of them onto a derranged homocidal journey.The acting is so-so,the dialogue is non-existent and the movie itself is bleak,drab and lifeless.I haven't found it scary or even spooky,occasionaly it gets mildly creepy,but that alone is nowhere near enough to compensate for 90 or so wasted minutes of your life. ... Read more