Rendez Vous

Rendez Vous is a thrilling French-Dutch movie directed by Antoinette Beumer and released in 2015, with Pierre Boulanger and Loes Haverkort in the lead roles. The film is an adaptation of the novel 'Rendez-Vous' by Esther Verhoef. It weaves a complex narrative of romance, obsession, deceit, and danger set in the other worldly beautiful rural France.

The movie opens with the protagonist, Simone, played by Loes Haverkort, a young Dutch woman who dreams of a perfect life in France with her husband Eric and their two children. Eric, an architect, is in a comfortable job, but still supports Simone's dream to migrate to France. The couple decides to move and starts a new life in the French countryside, buying a rundown mansion with the hope of transforming it into a thriving guesthouse.

Boulanger plays Michel, a charismatic, local French handyman who Simone hires to help restore the dilapidated chateau. His rugged good looks and charm catch Simone's dazzled attention, leading her to question her comfortable but predictable married life with Eric. Michel's entry significantly shifts the dynamics of the movie as audiences witness the descent of Simone into a spiral of risky and exhilarating situations that blur the lines between fantasy and reality.

Simone's life starts taking a mysterious and dangerous turn when inexplicable things start happening around the mansion – unsettling noises, shadows, and phantoms of a woman believed to have committed suicide in the house many years ago. Simone's fixation with Michel also takes a darker turn, leading to a series of unforeseen twists. The picturesque beauty of the French countryside turns into a perilous labyrinth, and the dilapidated chateau, a haunting symbol of Simone's erratic decision-making.

Simone's previously idyllic world is upended, her marriage and family life reaching a critical point as she struggles to resist temptation and keep her family safe amidst rising threats. Pierre Boulanger's character Michel, who initially appeared as an autonomous, charming person, becomes more and more complex as the plot unfolds. His background remains enigmatic for most of the movie, creating an air of uncanny intensity and suspense.

Director Antoinette Beumer effectively uses the motif of the house restoration project as a metaphor for Simone's personal transformation. The grueling process the family goes through to renovcurseaily life a house reflects the crumbling and resurrecting of Simone's selfhood throughout the film.

Simone's journey from an ambitious dreamer to a woman caught in a web of her own passions drives the mystery and suspense of Rendez Vous. Actress Loes Haverkort delivers a compelling performance, perfectly capturing Simone's internal conflict and descend into chaos. Pierre Boulanger, on the other hand, plays the role of Michel with an interesting mix of charisma and mystery.

The cinematography of Rendez Vous is noteworthy, beautifully capturing the scenic landscapes and idyllic rustic life of France. The striking contrast of the stunning outdoors and the eerie indoors of the mansion underscores the film's theme of appearances being deceptive.

The narrative's combination of erotic tension, psychological suspense, and supernatural elements makes Rendez Vous a fascinating and captivating viewing experience. The film takes the audience through an intricate maze of passionate temptation, domesticity, fear, mystery, and danger, leaving them guessing till the end. Rendez Vous proves more than just a romantic drama as it navigates through the layers of human complexity, sensuality, and consequences of desires.

Overall, Rendez Vous is a masterfully crafted movie, a suspenseful tale of desire and consequence set against the beautifully serene yet haunting French countryside. With commendable performances and an intriguing narrative, it takes the viewers on a thrilling roller coaster ride of emotions, mystery, obsession, and startling revelations. While it begins as a tale of romantic escapade and ambition, it beautifully transitions into a tale of suspense and supernatural, making it a movie worth watching for mystery and thriller enthusiasts.