by Emmanuel Carrère
“What if I shaved my moustache?”
“No idea. I like it. I’ve never known you without it.”
La Moustache is a psychological thriller based on director Emmanuel Carre’s 1987 novel of the same name. Marc, the film’s protagonist, has had a mustache his entire adult life, and when he shaves it off on a whim, his facial hair isn’t the only thing he loses (i.e. his mind). Through this device, the film explores the notion of identity, and the way in which we construct it.
Marc’s mustache was his signature, so when his wife Agnes fails to notice that it has been removed, he suffers an identity crisis. At the dinner party they attend later that night, no one else notices the change in Marc’s appearance either, and some even claim he never wore one.
What follows is a full on psychological fallout, with Marc becoming increasingly obsessed with his absent mustache. He begins to realize that other memories, such as his father’s death, are not in line with reality either. As those around him grow concerned for his sanity, Marc flees Paris just as they attempt to commit him to the hospital.
He takes a flight to Hong Kong on a whim, and once there, travels the ferry-boats of Hong-Kong over and over. As a foreigner, Marc once again stands out amongst the endless citizenry flowing through the city commute. Here he feels different, and seems content to stay. But before he can even shave his five O’clock shadow, Marc’s past comes back to haunt him.
Watch the trailer below:
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