And the combination of straightforward plot and occasionally inexplicable motivation can make his movies feel baffling or distancing. It's also beautifully made and, for the most part, beautifully acted. It isn't an entirely successful or satisfying film, but it's far from dismissible. Martin, who believes his father wants nothing to do with him, is not happy there. Suddenly the movie skips forward 10 years, when Martin abruptly leaves home after his father's death and makes his way to Paris.
Martin arrives at their place looking and acting like a hunted animal.
He comes out of his shell enough to admit to a fascinated infatuation with Alice, who is gradually captivated by his attentions, and the two begin a passionate love affair. We know that Martin is fleeing from some disastrous confrontation with his father, but we're not told what until a flashback that comes precisely halfway through the movie. Martin's finding work as a male model stands for what's unformed about him. During a fashion shoot he affects a vaporous intensity. Away from the cameras he seems raw, closed off and vulnerable at the same time.