Just Before Nightfall
Just Before Nightfall

Movie spotlight

Just Before Nightfall

1971
Movie
100 min
French

A married man who killed the wife of his best friend during a tryst feels compelled to turn himself in.

Insights

IMDb6.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes80%
Director: Eric RohmerGenres: Drama, Romance

Plot Summary

Charles, a successful advertising executive, is having an affair with Laura, the wife of his business partner. When Laura unexpectedly dies, Charles becomes consumed by guilt and paranoia. He begins to suspect that he is being haunted by her spirit and that his life is unraveling. His relationship with his wife, Hélène, is strained, and his professional life is in jeopardy.

Critical Reception

Just Before Nightfall received mixed to positive reviews upon its release. Critics often praised Rohmer's distinctive directorial style and the film's exploration of moral ambiguity and psychological tension. However, some found the pacing slow and the characters' motivations difficult to fully grasp, leading to a polarized critical response.

What Reviewers Say

  • Explores the psychological turmoil of a man consumed by guilt and paranoia.

  • Rohmer's characteristic intellectual dialogue and slow-burn tension are present.

  • The film delves into themes of morality, desire, and the consequences of one's actions.

Google audience: Audience reception for Just Before Nightfall is not widely documented or easily accessible through Google user reviews, making it difficult to summarize specific points of like or dislike.

Fun Fact

The film is notable for its psychological depth and its departure from Rohmer's more typically lighter, conversational style of filmmaking seen in his other works like the 'Comedies and Proverbs' series.

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