In this Chabrolesque psychological thriller, Francois Ozon, poses some difficult questions about the nature of the creative process through the character of successful English crime writer Sarah Morton,played brilliantly by Charlotte Rampling. Unable to find sufficient motivation to pen her latest crime book, her editor and ex-lover, John Bosload (Charles Dance) leases his French country house to her in the Luberon region to reignite her creative urges.<br /><br />At first the change of scenery does Sarah good until John's unknown French daughter, Julie (Ludivine Sagnier), rudely interrupts the idyllic atmosphere. The film then explores the tense relationship between the uptight Englishwoman and the free-floating but sex-mad Julie but things are never quite what they seem. We are constantly lulled by the seductive scenery and the sly camera-work sometimes suggests a hidden agenda is at play - well not so hidden in Franck's case!<br /><br />The film is nearly perfect. The acting is excellent and the music is haunting and evocative. Unfortunately, the film loses focus in the last third where a convoluted "murder" disrupts proceedings.<br /><br />Although the end might be a shock for many it was, in my opinion, an audacious turn on Ozon's behalf rather than a cop-out. I can understand it might annoy many viewers but the film's teasing scenarios, I believe, predetermined the ending and any careful viewer would not have felt robbed by the fact Julie was not real after all. <br /><br />The end, though, throws more questions than the film answers. If there is a puzzle to be solved, I do not think repeated viewings would achieve this; rather, it feels like an open-ended mystery. A mystery to savor rather than solve.