Beau Travail (2000)

Denis Lavant is good in this powerfully delivered reminiscence of soldier "Galoup". Having previously been stationed with his French regiment in Djibouti, director Claire Denis now takes us on a gently paced but effective retrospective as he revisits his time there where his life of discipline and routine gradually becomes compromised as he takes a bit of a shine to the newly arrived, confident and lithe, recruit "Sentain" (Grègoire Colin). The photography here is striking, as is the repetitiveness of their rather pedestrian existence. They spend most of their time, well, killing it! Their perfectly toned bodies frequently exposed to the relentless sunshine - as they do their laundry and their ironing - and to the azure waters of the ocean. For the most part, they are simply bored! It is perhaps that boredom that contributes to the increasingly frustrating existence of "Galoup" and of his commander (Michel Subor). It has a degree of violence to it, a physical and intellectual torment that is well illustrated as the story unfolds slowly but distinctly and not in any way predictably either. This isn't a love story in any traditional guise; but there is affection and sentiment here and as we gradually learn a little of what makes "Galoup" tick, I felt a little immersed in his scenario. The music plays a big part here too - not in a soundtrack manner, but augmenting the imagery and standing in for a dialogue that is sparing and effective. It's a slow burn, but I did enjoy it.