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Title: Metroland (1997)
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Christian Bale | ... | Chris | |
| Emily Watson | ... | Marion | |
| Lee Ross | ... | Toni | |
| Elsa Zylberstein | ... | Annick | |
| John Wood | ... | The Retired Commuter | |
| Rufus | ... | Henri | |
| Amanda Ryan | ... | Joanna | |
| Jonathan Aris | ... | Dave | |
| Ifan Meredith | ... | Mickey | |
 |
Boris Terral | ... | Jacques |
| Lucy Speed | ... | Punk Girl | |
|
|
Bill Thomas | ... | Middle-Aged Commuter |
|
|
Bethan Fairbairn | ... | Amy |
|
|
Daisy Fairbairn | ... | Amy |
|
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Del Bartle | ... | One of The Subverts |
After ten years absence Toni, Chris's best friend, suddenly reappears in London to bring chaos and doubt into Chris's calm, tranquil, slightly boring, predictable life. Chris starts to remember his carefree youth as a photographer in Paris when he lived with and enjoyed a torrid affair with Annick. It was also in Paris that he first met and fell in love with Marion. The temptations and pressure exerted on Chris by Toni to return to their former carefree life of sex, drugs and rock'n'roll soon starts to have an impact on Chris's marriage. He starts to question his values, his lifestyle choices and his relationship with Marion and even suspects her of starting an affair with Toni whom she dislikes! Eventually circumstances come to a head and Chris is forced to decide whether to follow Toni back to the hedonistic, irresponsible life of his youth or face the harsh realities of the present and stay with Marion. Written by Mark Smith <msmith@osi.co.uk>
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This film adapted from a novel by one of England's best writers, Julian Barnes, was a story to anyone who has been married for a while. Set mainly during 1977, the drama focuses on Chris (Christian Bale) and Tony (Lee Ross), who grew up together in suburban England a decade earlier.
Chris is now happily married to Marion (Emily Watson) and has a baby daughter. Tony has never settled down. A surprise visit from his childhood friend causes Chris to reassess his present life and to remember his days working in Paris; there he lived with Annick (Elsa Zylberstein), a young, liberated French woman, before he fell in love with Marion.
Bale and Watson were superb in this film. He fantasizes about how his life would have been had he not gotten married. Tony is trying to convince him to give it all up, and Marion is trying to save her marriage.
There is a lot of nudity and sex, but none is gratuitous. It all adds to the story and , at times, is funny, especially when he was new at sex in Paris.
The most interesting part of the film consists of two related scenes. he tells Tony that he is "content." Maybe that is the best you can hope for from an Englishman. His wife asks later if he is "happy." he says, "If not now, never." That is certainly, to me at least, not a ringing endorsement. Maybe again, it is particularly English.
The film was very enjoyable, and the only criticism I would have is the graininess in the middle. I am beginning to like Bale more and more.