SOMBRE [1998]

SOMBRE follows the bleak life of a serial killer through a blackened lens. Jean is a deeply disturbed man who survives off sex with prostitutes and strangling them to death. He is always on the prowl, wandering around for women to violate and dominate. The reason for his lustful rage is left unknown. When Jean meets Claire, a naive and untouched woman, he is forced to confront his feelings of genuine connectedness to her. Claire also finds herself struggling to accept the gripping emotions she has towards him. Claire’s sister accompanies Jean and Claire as they become familiar with one another, further complicating their perplexing affair. Much to Jean’s dismay, his voracious appetite for women binds him to the life of a lone wolf, preventing the development of a stable relationship in any form. Claire fights relentlessly to maintain contact with him, dismissing his unpredictable behavior and depraved lifestyle. She willingly subjects herself to his mania in order to remain a person of importance in his mixed up life. She even starts to bask in it.

SOMBRE is a slow-moving, psychological roller coaster ride with no end in sight. Perhaps the lack of adequate lighting and overkill of close up shots contributed to how drawn out the film felt. Clocking in at just under two hours, the movie is filled with snippets of randomness and numerous scenes of raw sexuality. The randomness is thought-provoking, and the sexuality feels real, but the two don’t seem to fit together. The storyline is either too vague or not interesting enough to follow consistently. Marc Barbé fittingly plays Jean’s character as an untamable (but fearful) beast of man, which is one strong point. In addition, the soundtrack acted as a profound mood enhancer. Bauhaus, for example, was a source of intoxicating bliss in the otherwise complex, dreary world of Sombre. More than anything, it seems director Philippe Grandrieux intended to make an art house film rather than a thriller. SOMBRE requires undying patience, and it should be watched with a mind void of distraction to be appreciated in any sense. Look elsewhere if you’re seeking French madness.

Rating: 5/10

Director: Philippe Grandrieux

Cast: Marc Barbe, Elina Löwensohn, and Géraldine Voillat
Country: France