Simplest-shop.com

     

online shopping, the simple way

Welcome | Help
Search for
in
Home > Dvds > Directors > ( B ) > Breillat, Catherine > Brief Crossing Breve Traversee
This website will be shutdown on 2008-04-01.
my cart Add to shopping cart

Brief Crossing (Breve Traversee)

 Rating 3
enlarged image: Brief Crossing (Breve Traversee)
enlarge imageEnlarge image
60% Recommended by our customers.
Studio: Fox Lorber
Catalog: DVD
Release date: 2004-05-18
Media: DVD
released in theatres: 2001
Running time in minutes: 80
DVD aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Format: Color, DVD-Video, Letterboxed, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
DVD Region code: 1
released in theatres: 2001
Ean: 9780794204884
Book Isbn: 0794204880
Upc: 720917542720
tip Tip: compare prices with similar DVDs

Director:
Catherine Breillatsee more Dvds by Catherine Breillat
Actors:
Sarah Prattsee more Dvds with Sarah Pratt
Gilles Guillainsee more Dvds with Gilles Guillain
Marc Filipisee more Dvds with Marc Filipi
Laƫtitia Lopezsee more Dvds with Laƫtitia Lopez
Marc Jablonskisee more Dvds with Marc Jablonski

Top stores Description Price Link to shop
amazon.com Availability: in 24 hours
Current discount:9% off
$17.99
used8 used offers, as low as...$9.95see more used offers
all new22 thirdParty new offers, as low as...$13.38see more ThirdParty new offers

Professional Review:
What starts as a chance meeting between a 30-something English woman Alice (Sarah Pratt) and a 16 year-old French boy (Gilles Guillan) quickly develops into much more on an overnight ferry ride. As the conversation progresses, it is clear that although the two have virtually nothing in common, the sexual tension is evident. When they finally act on their growing attraction, a surprise twist is thrown in that will leave you wondering who really seduced who.

User Reviews:
 Rating 4   Written on October 26, 2004
   Summary: Mesmerizing
Controversial French director Catherine Breillat's "Brief Crossing" (2001) is a mesmerizing 80-minute knockout that follows two very different travelers as they meet on an overnight ferry cruise and enter into a steamy one-night affair. The twist here is that the odd couple is a thirtysomething Englishwoman and a 16-year-old French schoolboy.

Breillat was obviously inspired by David Lean's classic "Brief Encounter." However, the similarities end there. As anyone who has seen any of Breillat's previous features (including the [hot] "Romance" and "Fat Girl") will know, the director isn't interested in telling a conventional love story so much as chronicling the psychological fallout of sex. This film is no exception. As Breillat herself says in a revealing interview that accompanies the film, she made the film simply because she wanted to explore the loss of a young male's virginity. In this case, it is young Thomas (Gilles Guillan), who meets Alice (Sarah Pratt) while ordering dinner, then begins a mutual flirtation with the amused woman after she invites him to share a table with her. Over the course of the next hour, they share much revealing conversation, then eventually fall into bed together. What happens next is best left for the viewer to experience.

Obviously the centerpiece of this film is the sexual encounter, and let's just say it is beautifully handled by the director and her two actors. Perhaps because of the tender age of her young star, Breillat doesn't push the envelope as far as she did in "Romance," leaving it up to the viewer to decide just how real the encounter is. (Rest assured, young Guillan was 19 when he made the film, but still a virgin according to the director.) Still, it's an eye-opening moment. So, if you're one that is easily offended by on-screen sexuality, pass this one up.

The acting by Pratt and Guillan is perfect. The dinner scene in particular is brilliantly handled. It's fascinating to watch the older woman trying to act younger while the young boy puffs on a cigarette and vainly tries to impress the older woman by acting much older than he is. And the last fifteen minutes especially ring true, with a last-minute twist that ends the film on exactly the right note.

In all, "Brief Crossing" is a minor film which sacrifices plot to tell a simple story of two disparate souls who make a once-in-a-lifetime connection. The ending is sad but honest, and leaves the viewer to make his own judgments about the woman's behavior. (It helps to take into account the differing attitudes about sex that separates us American puritans with European sensibilities: an American film would end with the woman thrown in jail for statutory rape.) At least the film is honest about it's intentions to provide an erotic experience for the audience, unlike today's American coming-of-age films which disguise their intentions in dumb comedy and irresponsible filmmaking. (By irresponsible filmmaking, I mean that an American film would romanticize the encounter and make it appear to be a beautiful rite-of-passage for the boy and satisfying for the woman. In Breillat's world, the sex is raw, clumsy, unmutually satisfying, almost violent and even somewhat sad to watch. Quite a difference.)

In all, "Brief Crossing" is a small gem from a controversial director who delights in polarizing her audiences. The viewer's enjoyment will hinge on just how hung-up he/she is about in-your-face eroticism. Enter at your own risk. **** (out of *****)


 Rating 4   Written on July 3, 2004
   Summary: Attractive (...)
On a ferry crossing the channela 30 year old English womans seduces a 16 years old French schoolboy,in graphic detailThe confusion of sex and love is just as thought provoking as the reversal of he usual 'older man -young woman'metaphor.My desire for gender equality would throw the Englishwoman in jail but was attenuated by the sexual philosophy expounded by the schoolboy, reflecting his generations disregard for crisis and trauma in sexual encounters.Catherine Breillats best movie so far,well worth seeing.

Comparison map
Wondering how the DVD "Brief Crossing (Breve Traversee)" relates to similar DVDs? Find out at a glance here:
Price comparison Brief Crossing (Breve Traversee)
Brief Crossing (Breve Traversee)
Romance
Romance
All Things Fair
All Things Fair
Perfect Love
Perfect Love
Fat Girl - Criterion Collection
Fat Girl - Criterion Collection
Lie With Me
Lie With Me
Our price$17.99$10.99$17.99$13.49$21.99$7.99
List price$19.95$14.98$19.95$14.98$29.95$7.99
Lowest used price$9.95$5.28$14.99$5.94$17.52$5.69
Lowest new price$13.38$5.56$17.98$6.48$20.81$4.53
Collectible price-$25.99----
CatalogDVDDVDDVDDVDDVDDVD
Release date2004-05-182002-02-052004-04-272002-03-052004-10-192006-02-14
MediaDVDDVDDVDDVDDVDDVD
released in theatres200119991996-03-08199620012005
Running time in minutes80841321108693
DVD aspect ratio1.85:11.66:11.78:11.85:11.85:11.78:1
Audience RatingNR (Not Rated)UnratedUnratedNR (Not Rated)UnratedUnrated
Picture format-Letterbox----
FormatColor, DVD-Video, Letterboxed, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSCClosed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, Letterboxed, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSCAnamorphic, Color, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSCColor, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSCAnamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSCAC-3, Color, Dolby, Widescreen, NTSC
DVD Region code111111
DVD layers-1----
DVD sides-1----
Ean978079420488497815736277719780780028616978079420157997807800290880821575534154
Book Isbn07942048801573627771078002861907942015710780029089-
Upc720917542720031398724933037429192924720917531120037429197721821575534154
Link to shop*
(opens in a new window)
BUY IT NOW*BUY IT NOW*BUY IT NOW*BUY IT NOW*BUY IT NOW*BUY IT NOW*
take one out?

I am here:
Home > Dvds > Directors > ( B ) > Breillat, Catherine > Brief Crossing Breve Traversee
This website will be shutdown on 2008-04-01.

tell a friend about this pageE-mail this page

 
About the Simplest Shop | Help | Term of Use | Privacy Policy
Home | Contact us | Bookmark us | get paid for writing
Copyright Simplest-Shop.com 2004. All rights reserved