Watched “Free and Asleep” (Libre et assoupi, 2013)

I’ll clarify right away that the film was directed by Benjamin Gage – so that there is a chance to find him somehow. What is this wonderful, little-known film about?

Three people with different life principles live in one apartment. The girl Anna sees the meaning of life in building a career in order to achieve success. Also living in the apartment with Anna is a guy named Bruno, who is secretly in love with Anna and tries to hint to her about it in every possible way, but without taking any more concrete steps. The main character of the picture is Sebastian – an ambitious student who was successful in his studies, but in life … does not see himself as anyone. He wants to take an academic leave for a year and just live “for himself”, without having any specific plans for life. Anna invites him to live in the apartment where she lives with Bruno, explaining the rules of the house.

Despite the fact that the story immediately has notes of polyamory and, in some ways, resembles the French version of the film “The Dreamers”, the film itself is far from being about that. Rather, it shows three different people who see their lives in their own way. Someone’s career comes first, and he is completely devoted to it. He is interested in what it’s like to be not a careerist, but someone else. Another hero is trying to find a balance – so that work brings pleasure, but, at the same time, there is free time for life outside of work. The third one generally avoids work and any serious responsibilities in all possible ways, seeing the meaning of his life in this. But this cannot last forever, because not everyone is satisfied with the stability that exists.

I like films in which the story is shown from different angles. That is, they tell several different points of view, and you decide for yourself what exactly impresses you and what you consider wrong. At least, from your point of view. And here in the film there are a lot of adults for whom society has set rules that they must comply with. That is why, at the beginning of the film, we are shown a top view when Sebastian is walking to the left, and a crowd of people in suits rushing to their work is coming to meet him. As if showing that he is a kind of “revolutionary” who is going against the crowd. In the agency where unemployment benefits are provided, Sebastian finds a friend who agrees to cover up Sebastian’s reluctance to work, because he himself does not really understand how to live this life, trying to stick to the golden mean (he looks no better, but no worse than others. He receives an average salary. He lives on the 4th floor out of 8, etc.).

I often think about what life would be like if you made one choice or another. How that life would change, and what it would be like. And this film shows the three most popular life options. Each of the characters, despite their devotion to their path, encounters moments that question the correctness of this path. Anna tries to live the day of Sebastian and Bruno. Bruno tries with all his might to please Anna, but also thinks about the fact that, perhaps, indeed, the life that Sebastian chose is the best option. Sebastian himself simply continues to follow his own path, minimally changing it throughout the film. I advise you to personally watch what each of the paths will lead to in this wonderful film.

The film is an adaptation of the novel Libre, seul et assoupi by Romain Monnery, who is also the screenwriter of this film. So the story is conveyed exactly as the author of the novel saw it. For my part, I will say that the film is quite enjoyable and worth watching. 8 out of 10.