‘Hors du Temps (Suspended Time)’ Review – Olivier Assayas’ Truffaut-Inspired Film Reinvigorates the Lockdown Formula | Berlinale 2024

Olivier Assayas returns to cinema, after remaking Irma Vep with Alicia Vikander for Max, with a reflexive film about the life of a filmmaker in lockdown. This French New Wave-inspired piece meanders its way through endless fascinating conversations and arguments about art, love and life. Looking at the synopsis of Assayas’ latest didn’t provoke much enthusiasm but Hors du Temps is special, it’s a refreshing take on life during the world’s most recent unprecedented time.

Set in April 2020, during the first few months of everyone being quarantined. The story follows Paul (Vincent Macaigne), a film director, and his brother Etienne (Micha Lescot), a music journalist. The two have moved back to their childhood home in the rural French town they grew up in. Memories of their young lives come back to them as they live out their lives just like they once did.

This time, they are without their parents and they have their girlfriends living with them. Morgane (Nine d’Urso) has been with Etienne for a few years, but he was fairly absent due to his burgeoning film career. Carole (Nora Hamzawi) is welcomed into the family by Paul and Morgane, she and Etienne are a new couple but she fits in fast. Their day-to-day life doesn’t consist of doing much, Paul refuses to commit to any film work as he abides by France’s COVID rules. He barely ventures outside of their vast garden and house but feels free as he steps away from filmmaking. Etienne manages to work from home, he feels isolated and oddly finds solace in making crepes. But as the days go by, Etienne becomes increasingly frustrated by his brother’s anxious antics and things become heated in the household at times.

The pandemic gives the brothers valuable time to live a quiet life, to settle down and focus on what’s truly important. Friends, family and love. This is what Paul discovers as he realises his career has taken over his life, leaving little room to connect with those around him. But with the lockdown, his relationship has never been better with his daughter and his girlfriend. There is hope, despite how scary the pandemic was during the early stages, in the film and it explores it in a roundabout way that is refreshing to see. Yes, they have verbal bust-ups. But Assayas also finds tender moments between the characters.

The performances are remarkable, Macaigne plays Paul as sensitive, lovable and smart. These qualities shine through as Paul figures out that he’s terrified of the prospect of re-entering the world. Presumably, Assayas felt somewhat similar feelings during his time locked away, perhaps that’s why it feels so authentic. The three other leads all have their moments; d’Urso’s Morgane is a charming presence, Hamzawi is a great, fun partner alongside Lescot who is more on the dreary side. It’s likely the audience will relate to the way each character handles the stress of the pandemic, for instance, Lescot plays Etienne like a man about to lose it, while Paul worries about going to the bakery (it’s a step too far for him to handle).

Assayas’ writing plays out as if François Truffaut was alive and wrote a lockdown film, it’s extremely metatextual – constantly referring to films and filmmakers like Truffaut. These references feel naturalistic because of the protagonist’s deep interest in films, it’s just part of his everyday dialogue like any filmmaker or cineast. Paul even references contemporary films from just before the lockdown, including a great scene referring to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. It’s said that Hors du Temps is autobiographical, Paul is, certainly, written as an extension of Assayas, albeit casting Macaigne who looks far more scruffy than the director’s stylish looks. The film is even narrated by the French auteur himself, he does not attempt to hide the fact that it’s based on his experiences growing up in France, living in the countryside during the pandemic and being a filmmaker himself.

The film opens with a montage of shots as time stands still as Assayas takes the viewer around the local town with his narration. The camera remains locked off and observant, witnessing the town and nature at peace with no people in sight. As the characters are introduced, the camera becomes more intrusive as cinematographer Eric Gautier switches to handheld. The shift in visuals assists the film’s growing tension in the household, while most outside scenes remain static or on tracks. 

The conversations are made to feel realistic thanks to Olivier Assayas’ eloquent writing, it’s without a doubt the best film made about the pandemic to date. It has great craftsmanship, performances and superb direction, it elevates what could have been just another boring COVID-set film. It’s the closest film to the French New Wave we’ve had in a while, and it’s great for that. It never feels overly indulgent with all of its meta nods and winks, instead it makes for richer dialogue that gives us fascinating insights into the mind of a filmmaker. This French indie film is sure to be loved by film enthusiasts, and it definitely would’ve played well at Cannes.

Rating: A

This review is from the 74th Berlin International Film Festival where Hors de Temps (Suspended Time) had its world premiere in Competition.