The Refuge

It's sometimes difficult to believe that Francois Ozon was once the enfant terrible of French cinema. Gone are the days when he seemingly set out to shock bourgeois sensibilities. Nowadays he's more likely to provide top class roles for French actresses. The Refuge is reminiscent of both Under The Sand and Time to Leave in it's exploration of loss and the grieving process, as well as featuring some finely nuanced performances. Mousse, an addict, not only has to come to terms with her boyfriend Louis' overdose but also her unexpected pregnancy, giving rise to musings about the vagaries of fate (she survived taking the same contaminated heroin), the biological changes to her body (half embarrassed, half in awe), and burgeoning feelings for Louis' gay brother Paul. You sense that it's partly their status as outsiders that draws them together initially (he, it turns out, is adopted) while Mousse is perhaps attracted to Paul because of his familial relationship to Louis. Nothing is ever really clarified but it's all the better for that.
The scenes at the refuge by the sea are suffused with a warmth and colour distinctly lacking in the Parisian scenes. Mousse's life as an addict and icily perfect surroundings of Louis' wealthy family contrast with the relaxed atmosphere of village life, the roomily comfortable house and the tentative friendship that develops. Mousse's physical changes also reflect this. The sallow, lank-haired addict postively blooms during her pregnancy to a picture of vibrant health, but also develops emotionally. It's difficult to imagine the Mousse of the early scenes being able to make such a difficult decision as the women we see at the end.