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Bitter Moon
1992 139 min France, United Kingdom R 18+
★7.1
Thriller, Drama, Romance
Director: Roman Polanski
🎭 Based on
«Evil Angels»
byPascal Bruckner
Trailers
EN
EN
Description
A passenger on a cruise ship develops an irresistible infatuation with an eccentric paraplegic's wife.
Budget:
$5M
US Gross:
$1.86M
Worldwide:
$1.86M
Starring
Hugh Grant
Actor
Kristin Scott Thomas
Actor
Emmanuelle Seigner
Actor
Awards
1 win & 2 nominations total
Key opinion
Bitter Moon is widely regarded as a provocative and masterfully directed exploration of the destructive, cyclical nature of obsessive passion. While the film polarizes viewers due to its bleak, often grotesque depiction of human cruelty and toxic relationships, it is consistently praised for its powerful performances and atmospheric intensity.
| Acting | Emmanuelle Seigner delivers a standout, multifaceted performance that anchors the film’s emotional journey from innocence to degradation. | |
| Direction | Roman Polanski’s direction effectively sustains a tense, unsettling atmosphere that captures the psychological descent from seductive romance into bitter hatred. | |
| Theme | The narrative structure expertly navigates the transition from blinding erotic obsession to inevitable emotional exhaustion and mutual destruction. | |
| Acting | Peter Coyote provides a convincing, complex portrayal of a cynical protagonist, though some viewers feel his aging, unglamorous appearance clashes with the character’s seducer archetype. | |
| Screenplay | The film’s tone is highly divisive; some find the exaggerated melodrama and toxic character behavior to be a bold, realistic warning, while others perceive it as flat and implausible. |