The Big Picture

The original French title of filmmaker Eric Lartigau's psychological thriller—L'homme qui voulait vivre sa vie (The Man Who Wanted to Live His Own Life)—is actually a better one than The Big Picture, even though the latter is the actual title of the source novel by Douglas Kennedy. Recalling The Talented Mr. Ripley, the plot revolves around a successful lawyer named Paul (Romain Duris)—married with two young children—who has always wanted to be a photographer. After Paul accidentally kills his wife's lover—who just happens to be a photojournalist—Paul decides to fake his own death, assume the dead man's identity, and make a new life for himself. Relocating to the Balkans, Paul secures a position with a newspaper, and before long his artistic photos begin to attract notice. Ultimately, however, he will realize that there are some things more important than fulfilling one's selfish desires. Anchored by an excellent lead performance by Duris, fine supporting turns (including the apparently ageless Catherine Deneuve as Paul's Paris business partner), and intriguing locations, The Big Picture is not a conventional thriller so much as an intriguing character study that raises questions about identity, creativity, and personal responsibility. Recommended. (F. Swietek)