The Oscar nominated Kristin Scott Thomas who has won BAFTA, Cesar Awards and many other awards at film festivals has also been receiving Lifetime Achievement Awards but her career is still going very strong. I had first seen her in Prince’s directorial debut film, Under the Cherry Moon”, and later in “Four Weddings and a Funeral”,” The English Patient”, Philippe Claudel's “I've Loved You So Long” and many more. She is one of the finest actresses who have ever existed and has an enormous talent and will take a chance in any role she plays.
So here she is again being here brilliant self in director/writer Catherine Corsini’s film, “Leaving”. They are a team to be reckoned with. A woman will see what I didn’t because even though as a sensitive man I appreciate all the talent and wisdom women have , but they will understand the story from a woman’s perspective but I will use my insight reflecting my sister’s story in her first marriage as a reference
Years ago my sister who married at 19, told me that after the 2 week honeymoon she was no longer in love with her husband, but she still had 2 children with him. When her real love, which is very much like the character in the film, “Leaving”, arrived, he made her feel this passion which she had never had before. It was not easy for my parents and all of us to accept this when she started this love affair while still married to her first husband
In “Leaving”, Kristin Scott Thomas, an Englishwoman named Suzanne, is living a comfortable life with her doctor husband Samuel (Yvan Attal) and teenage children in Southern France. Suzanne decides after 20 years to return to her occupation as a physiotherapist. Her husband is converting the house in the back as her office and using foreign labor to get the job done.
Enter Spaniard Ivan (Sergi López), who becomes an object of curiosity to Suzanne. He fixes an old lamp she was going to chuck out (was there a genie in there?) as well as moving all the junk, and they finish the clear-out "respectable" woman.
Since this is a movie about a supposedly happy couple and a new man appears we immediately sense that something is going to happen between them because of many hints. A sexy guy and the title of the film. Her husband still loves her and wants her to remain married to him but conflict is the operative word
This journey that results is very compelling and only a woman could really comprehend this. That is why men love them so much because when they decide that you are the one, they will show you and make you feel that your life was incomplete before you met them. In particular when they are Kristin Scott Thomas who again will get nominated for another brilliant performance at the ripe age of 50, and is doing what few actresses ever follow which is flourishing with age. This film is well worth seeing for the power of its performances, particularly Scott Thomas's.
PS
Incidentally my sister left her marriage and married the love of her life and returned to school and became a psychologist
http://www.ifcfilms.com/films/leaving

Ron Gilbert