Border Line (1992) - film review

Hélène, a middle-aged woman who has been married for over 20 years, decides to visit her former lover.  She learns that he has recently died and that his son, Julien, is living in his apartment.  Despite the difference in their ages, Hélène and Julien are strongly attracted to one another and begin an intense love affair.  However, as their relationship develops, Hélène becomes increasingly convinced that Julien is her own son.  As she tries to obtain the evidence she needs to prove the genetic link, those around her, including her husand Alexandre, suspect that Hélène is starting to lose her mind...

Danièle Dubroux wrote, directed and starred in this profoundly disturbing portrait of one woman’s gradual descent into insanity.  The quality of the direction, acting and camera work make this a compelling and haunting work, which straddles the borderline between drama and psychological thriller.  The film’s impact is perhaps compromised by the ambiguity surrounding the central character – we never really get to understand what prompts Hélène to behave in way she does, and there appears to be so much that is left unexplained.  Yet, in a way, this adds to the film’s appeal and sense of mystery.  After all, insanity is something which cannot always be rationalised.  And, as the film shows, the dividing line between sanity and insanity is worryingly thin....

© James Travers 2003

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