Buy Time to Leave on DVD

Time to Leave

DVD

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$22.49 (10% off)
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Synopsis

In François Ozon's (Criminal Lovers) latest, a meticulous, emotional tale, a successful gay fashion photographer hides his fatal cancer diagnosis from his lover and family.

3 Reasons To buy this film

François Ozon's film is a gut-wrenching modern masterwork.
Using no trickery other than masterful storytelling the film engulfs the viewer
Just re-reading my review I got the chills.

Review

Elegantly emotional and filled with a quiet ferocity, François Ozon's Time to Leave is gut-wrenchingly meticulous filmmaking. The film tells the story of a successful photographer and every frame looks like a photograph, one that might hang in a museum. Ozon's work uses no tricks, no timeframe games, he simply tells a story, in this case, one that will devastate you.

Romain (Poupad) is a hot, young fashion photographer. He's got a cute young lover, Sasha (Sengewald), a great career and a gorgeous Paris apartment. All seems well, of course, it's not or there would be no drama. The story begins with him on a shoot where he collapses. We then join him at the doctor's office where he learns that he's got advanced cancer, and he's got only a 5% chance to live, with chemotherapy, which he refuses. Rather than tell the world and seek pity, he breaks it off with his lover, stops photographing, and alienates his sister. Feeling a need to connect with family, he takes a journey to visit his grandmother, played with her usual aplomb by the legendary Jeanne Moreau. He tells her that she's dying and they share some words, many off-screen. On the road Romain meets a young waitress and a connection is made. To tell you more details would spoil the story.

Ozon is not a Hollywood director, he leaves more questions floating in your brain after the film than you had before. Our respect for Ozon grows with each film, Time to Leave is one of our favorites. (French with English subtitles)

-- Scott Cranin

Product Format Information

DVD : $22.49

Availability: Usually ships in
5-10 days
Region Code: 1
UPC: 712267260423

Studio : Strand Releasing

Languages: French (Primary)
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen
Extras: Deleted Scenes
Features:
Chapter selection
Documentaries: The Making of Time to Leave

Customer Reviews

An Almost Perfect Movie

Amos Lassen wrote on 04/03/2011:

“Time to Leave” (Strand Releasing) is one of those rare movies that holds your interest from start to finish. In fact, it even does more than hold your interest—it mesmerizes. I would even go so far as to say that “Time to Leave” is a perfect movie. It is gorgeously acted, beautifully filmed; the script is literate and sensitive. It has everything going for it. It will move you like few movies can.
Directed by Francois Ozun, “Time to Leave” is a French film that deals with a high profile 31 year old fashion photographer who is diagnosed with a brain tumor and has a very short time to live. As Romain, a good looking gay man comes to terms with this lot in life, he decides not to disclose his condition t anyone except his grandmother, beautifully portrayed by legendary French actress, Jeanne Moreau. As the seriousness of his illness sets in, Romain becomes cruel to his lover, rude to his pregnant sister and uncommunicative to his mother and father.
This is a feel-good tender movie about death and I realize that the statement is somewhat of oxymoron. You have to see the movie to understand why I say that. Is it possible to feel good about a beautiful young man dying at his prime? I don’t know why but I felt good the entire time I watched this brilliant movie. One of the amazing qualities of this movie is its attitude toward being gay. The main character is gay and when he learns that his life is almost over, he begins a voyage of debauchery and descends into a world of anonymous sex. But that is not what “Time to Leave” is about. Being gay is not even an issue in the film and it just happens to be—nothing more. The idea of saying goodbye is not a new one in the cinematic world. The farewell to the earth here is expressed in a novel way and death becomes a welcome relief for Romain. It appears that the director was influenced by the goodness of mankind and the tenderness of life. There are some issues with political correctness but the way Ozun has woven his story, they are glorious. It is obviously Ozun’s love for life that guided him to direct this movie. I was extremely moved by the movie but it did not leave me depressed as death usually does. Instead, it uplifted my spirit and made me realize how much death is a part of life. The movie haunted me and still haunts me.
Romain explains why he trusts his grandmother with the news of his impending death. It is because she is nearing the end of her life even though she is healthy. The scene between Melvil Poupaud (Romain) and his grandmother, Laura will tug at you. As Romain drives away after telling his grandmother that he is going to die soon, you feel as if you have to cry yet you don’t. The exchange between the two of them is moving and tender and you don’t succumb to the morose but rather are uplifted.
The existentialism of the plot provides the thoughtful sequences we see on the screen. The question that the film asks is if it is possible to find peace at the end of life. This becomes an even harder question when life is stripped away at a young age. This is a candid film which is sexy and hypnotic. It seems to me to be a very personal study of life in the face of death.
If you are still not sure how you feel about the movie when it is over, the bonus features may clear up any questions you might have I do not understand why the deleted scenes were deleted because to me they further explain the life/death experience and the featurette on the making of the film gives excellent insight. This is one that you should not miss. Here is an example of what a movie should be.

"A VERY MOVING STORY"

Conner wrote on 06/20/2007:

I rented this DVD and I give it " FIVE" Thumbs up!

It is a moving story, that will hold your attention. The acting was professional, in every way.

The ending is well done. It had me crying, as well as my partner.

I am definitely going to purchase this movie for our library.

So, if you get the chance, either rent it, or better still, purchase it.

life ain't always neat and tidy

marty wrote on 12/11/2006:

A sad story - beautifully crafted and acted. At the end of the film the viewer still has questions that the story leaves unanswered. But isn't that also true of real life? Suggestion: make sure you watch the deleted scenes immediately after watching the movie - you'll have several "aha!" moments. IMHO - most of these scenes should have been left in the film. An excellent movie - but not for "party night" viewing.