So it was coming out the day I was leaving, but I was able to see a sneak preview (avant premiere) at the very chic Studio 28 in Montmartre.

Knowing no French, I had to rely on the gestures and the very good acting of Sandrine Bonnaire. I had seen some of her other films, so I knew she was very capable. Not knowing what exactly she "confesses" is difficult, because I bet that was what "made" the film.

However, there were very thoughtful scenarios, like when Sandrine Bonnaire's character, Anna, cries in one of their first sessions, because after all she is confessing deep, intimate things to someone she barely knows.

The doctor calls her one day and it turns out she has given him a bogus number (of course he is a bogus doctor, but I didn't know this at the time). Then you have to wonder what else she is lying about...maybe she is making up this whole thing. Maybe she even knows he isn't a doctor.

Then he doesn't even have her address so he decides to follow her where she lives.

When they have sessions, you can feel the tension between them. He is very attracted to her. I realized that since he wasn't really a doctor, he was doing this... to look at her, to be with her. He wanted to share something with her, because he was basically alone in his life (sad).

One day, she places a cigarette in the trash can, but it isn't completely out. The trash can catches on fire. Nothing really happens, and it is put out quickly, but it was something exciting that happened.

It was funny... once "Anna" had trouble unzipping her coat. She asked the doctor to unzip it, which was kind of suggestive. And then when he unzipped it, it was almost too hard for him to stop. He wanted to go further, but acted very professionally like a doctor would.

Then one day she left her "datebook" there. Whether it was intentional or not, who knows. Then as the doctor paged through it, only the appointments with him were listed. The other days were left completely blank, as if that was the only thing she had to look forward to in life. And then, you could see in his face that really, the sessions with her were the only thing he had to look forward to also. (Although he had told him she was a dance instructor, and demonstrated a little ballet for him in their first session).

And this made him curious. He didn't have her address, so he followed her home one day...

Then things REALLY heated up when she didn't show up for a session one day. He knew she didn't really have a life and was worried. He called a number that she had given him once that had worked. But alas, it had been a pay phone and he wasn't able to reach her. Then he decided to go to the address where he had followed her, but no one answered the door.

I don't really understand what happened at the end, but it seems that she had a husband that threatened the doctor. Then the doctor moved to another office and notified Anna of the address change. By this time, it seems he was aware of where she worked, because he left a message with the lady at the ballet/dance school where she worked. By showing us that she really was a dance instructor like she had claimed made us realize that maybe her story had more truth than the doctor was willing to admit.

It ends with them at the new office, and I think they reach some kind of understanding, and someone confesses their feelings. It was hard to understand, because I don't speak French, but it was really intense emotionally and a very thoughtful production.

-Allison McCulloch