Burnt Out

Sauf le respect que je vous dois

Director
Fabienne Godot
Cast
Olivier Gourmet (François Durrieux), Dominique Blanc (Clémence Blanc), Julie Depardieu (Flora), Marion Cotillard (Lisa), Jeffrey Barbeau (Benjamin Durrieux)
Date
2006
Duration
90 Minutes

François, an everyday family man, is feeling the pressure at work as his boss, Monsieur Bruner, demands better results. He is not being singled out however, as his best friend Simon is publicly reprimanded by Bruner for his performance and eventually fired. This sparks a chain of serious events that will jolt François out of his comfortable existence and lead to him to question the principles behind it.

A former psycho-sociologist, Fabienne Godot delivers a film that is part psychological drama, part thriller. A complex look at the pressures and potential negative consequences of corporate life and social obligation, Burnt Out brings to mind other recent French successes treating similar subjects such as Nicolas Klotz’ Heartbeat Detector (2007) or Laurent Cantet’s Timeout (2002). Like in those films, the central performance is immaculately carried out by a great actor, in this case Olivier Gourmet (The Son, Mon Colonel). In addition, this gripping film is fleshed out by a strong supporting cast, which includes the Oscar winning Marion Cotillard (Ma Vie En Rose).