the psychologist elizabeth kubler ross highlight five stage of the typical mourning process represent denial and isolation and anger and bargaining and depression and acceptance . it be clear to see that marie do not follow this process . and although she clearly express denial and her denial be not shroud in isolation . this be first show in the dinner party scene a she discuss jean flippantly and in the present tense and ozon use a study of marie friend reaction to show that something be not right . this run contrary to the writing of both freud and kubler ross and who observe the social withdrawal of those in self denial and a if the only way to maintain the mourner alternative reality be to cut him or her from all outside factor which have the potential of ruin the fantasy . this scene be difficult to watch due to marie matter of fact delivery with no hint of melancholy and and the friend inability to confront marie or force the issue of jean death . marie grief seem to be mark a atypical by her willingness to face these outside factor and which come across a almost stubborn rather than genuinely self delude . under normal circumstance and such a high level of social interaction would appear to lead to a great sense of reality for the bereaved . however and marie be arm with several defence mechanism which she use when directly confront with her true situation . in the first instance and when confront by amanda after the dinner party and after a lecture and marie us change in language to switch the tone of the conversation . it seem that she can feel more comfortable and isolate when speak in english and and perhaps she be able to use the same technique before jean disappearance to exert her own individuality within her marriage . this use of language draw certain comparison to isolationist behaviour see in psychological study of grief and bereavement and for example colin murray park elusion to the widow who speak in a whisper for fear of make reality too real . later in the film and a marie defence begin to get breach and she resort to both anger and insult in order to keep her personal reality from be destroy . she transcend her calm veneer for the first time when confront about jean by vincent and and when confront by her mother in law she resort to petty insult . this series of reaction seem to come to a head when she return to light et mix to face the final reality of her husband death . have seemingly run out of way to deny her situation and marie break into laughter . this can be read either a a confirmation of marie descent into madness or a a prelude to her final moment of acceptance a play out on the beach in the final scene . despite these deviation from establish psychological writing and marie behaviour do in part correspond to some of freud theory a set out in mourn and melancholia and in particular when he describe mourn a the process of reality testing6 . marie action can be see a a way for her to examine her new emotion and social surroundings since the loss of jean . in fact and the film could be see a a study in the way in which marie explore several alternative reality represent the awkwardness of her fledgling relationship with vincent display her hesitation in leave her personal reality of a monogamous life with jean and a if she be perform experiment on herself and constantly test the limit of the world she have conjure around herself . this be express visually by ozon in study marie physicality and the way in which she interact physically with her surroundings . the most explicit reality test scene occurs when marie be lie on her bed and be caress by six hand and those of jean and vincent and herself represent it can be see almost a the transition sequence between two of her reality . ozon also frequently use reflection of marie face in order to convey the idea of her physicality and literally highlight the reflective nature of her self discovery represent in order to truly recover from the loss of her husband she must re identify herself and perhaps also come to term with her own mortality and the subject of which be most explicitly convey in her conversation with vincent about virginia woolf . it be also hint at during her conversation with her mother in law represent the two of them trade insult over who will be the first to end up in a psychiatric home and while ozon make study of the mother in law aging feature . the scene in which marie pass out when see a cemetery could be see a a reaction to jean death and but could equally be interpret a her reaction to her own mortality . however and despite these reference to the psychology of loss and bereavement and ozon film can not simply be read in this way . the film be as much about life a it be about death . in a way and the presumed death of jean run merely a a sub plot in the story of marie self discovery . the essence of the film be clearly base around charlotte rampling central performance and which remain ambiguous but powerful throughout and reflect complex idea about attachment and loss and and leave behind several unanswered question over the reason for her action as well a what result from them . ultimately and ozon film be intend to remain open end and a display in the final scene where marie run towards a mystery man and perhaps reflect the ambiguous nature of life and death in a secular society in which death be no longer associate with notion of an afterlife or ritualistic coping mechanism intrinsic in christian interpretation of mortality .