C'était maintenant (2017)
Directed by Jean-Cristophe Sandt

Film Review

With the support of a film school in Lyon, Jean-Christophe Sandt made his directing debut with C'était maintenant, a low budget melodrama which superficially resembles an auteur piece of the Éric Rohmer variety but struggles to sustain its limp premise across its over-generous 105 minute runtime.  Despite his limited resources (which prevent him from engaging professional technicians and actors), Sandt makes a half-decent stab at making a credible slice-of-life drama with a ring of authenticity to it, even though the lame dialogue often seems to be more appropriate to a second-rate soap opera.

The film deals with the loss of love, something we all encounter in our lives from time to time, through two parallel story strands.  In one case, a young man has to cope with the sudden death of the wife he adores; in the other, a young woman realises she no longer has any feelings for her partner.  Both characters are then seen to be tormented by their respective griefs, and this is where the film starts to lose credibility and the thin veneer of authenticity which Sandt manages to sustain, fairly effectively, throughout the first half of the film suddenly dissipates, leaving a somewhat tacky and clichéd melodrama in its wake.

The film's author shows far more promise with his mise-en-scène than with his writing, which is excruciating in a few scenes.  Lyon is a town full of charm and character, and Sandt puts it to good use in his film, choosing his locations with care to match the mood and tempo of his scenes.  Had more time and resources gone into C'était maintenant, it would most likely have had a much more positive impact.  As it is, let down by a very poor screenplay that fails to convince, it is only mildly engaging.

Film Synopsis

Vincent, a man in his mid-thirties, couldn't be happier with the way his life has turned out.  He has a loving wife, Mathilde, whom he adores and children he could never be parted from.  But then, with a brutal suddenness, tragedy strikes.  Mathilde's shock death is a blow that Vincent is ill-equipped to deal with.  Devastated, unsure what the future now holds for him, Vincent struggles to pick up the pieces.  Whenever he feels he is getting his life back on track, he becomes racked with guilt, fearing that any attempt he makes to cheer his morose life is a betrayal of his love for Mathilde.

In desperation, the mournful Vincent turns to his friends for support and sympathy, but he just cannot put into words what he feels.  It is as if his life has turned sour.  Nothing matters any more.  The young widower now knows that he will never have a day's happiness for as long as he lives.  Meanwhile, 40-something Laurence has problems of her own.  She has come to realise that she can no longer bear living with her partner.  On impulse, she walks out on him and moves in with her best friend, Elisa.  It would seem that Vincent and Laurence are destined to meet...