A writer and University Professor (Ethan Hawke) arrives in Paris with hopes of
relocating to the French capital and reconnecting with his estranged daughter.
After tracking down his ex wife and child he is shunned by the former and warned
to stay away. His ex tries to convince the daughter that her father has been in
prison but he claims he was just ill. The writer soon finds himself robbed of
all his possessions and manages to secure a small room in a hotel run by a
gangster in exchange for acting as a night guard, an ask no questions role. One
evening he meets a mysterious widow (Kristen Scott Thomas) and the two begin a
strange affair, ruled by her odd request of meeting at 5pm sharp in her 5th
arrondissement apartment.
This is a film with a lot of build up and minimal payoff. I
spent seventy five minutes waiting for the reveal in an ever increasingly
bizarre film but it never came. It’s very difficult to discuss the film without
spoilers so I’ll write what I thought and then present my opinions at the
bottom of the page in case anyone doesn’t want any spoilers.
