la moustache open with a man think about possibly shave his moustache . there be theory in both spiritual and scientific circle that postulate that whenever we make a decision like this we in fact make them both . we filter out the decision that we do not make and continue to live our normal seemingly linear life and but another reality exist and just as real a this one and in which we make the other decision . to understand this movie in a multiple timeline context and we have to back up to the beginning of the main character adult life ( before the movie start ) and in which he make the decision to grow a moustache at all . in timeline a he never grow one and in timeline b he always grow one since he could . the movie thus begin in timeline b. to keep thing simple and let pretend there be only these two timeline to worry about . the movie open with the main character make the decision to shave his moustache . in one reality and timeline b and he keep it . we do not see this reality for the next week or so of his life . instead and the decision to shave his moustache be so jarring that he jump to timeline a and or more accurately he jump to timeline a but element of timeline b be still know to him and such a the photograph of his vacation and the license in his wallet and and his overall consciousness and memory be still from timeline b. most of the movie and however and take place in timeline a. the fact that he be catch between timeline be psychologically disturb to him and his wife and neither of whom understand the predicament he be in and and assume that he be either go crazy or and a he assume at time and someone may be play an elaborate prank on him . overhear that his wife might send him to a mental institution and he escape to hong kong . he immediately miss his wife and write a postcard to her that he will be back by the time she get it and but doesn not mail it . he take a ferry from the city side to the airport side of a river and but before board the plane and change his mind again and go back on the ferry . then he _keeps on_ go back and forth across the ferry until the end of the day when it close . he never do go back to the airport . the ferry riding be a very interesting element in the film . a decision the decision to shave his moustache and be do hastily in the beginning of the film . again and another decision and to not get on the plane and get back on the ferry and be make quickly . be he perhaps try to trick time into get him back into the right timeline . or be the ferry simply a way to experience the same space over and over again a sameness that be in fact different every time ( every time he rid the ferry there be new people and and he sit in a different place and etc . even the chair on the ferry seem to have adjustable back on them that can swing one way or another and so that the rider can make a decision to face backwards or forward . only the ticket seller be the same and and she never seem to recognize him or wonder why he be rid back and forth ) normally we experience sameness ( e. g. go to work ) that can seem very much the same every time ( same co worker and similar work and etc . ) and the ferry be a break from that . or do the ferry between the city and the airport represent his state of betweenness of the timeline . he doesn not want to go back to france and where they might put him in an institution and but he doesn not want to go to his hong kong hotel and where he will be miss his wife . he decide to stay between for this day and and he seem content in this between ness . he doesn not seem that nervous or worry on the ferry . he be cordial and even smile to teenage schoolgirl that be giggle at him . he be learn to be ok with betweenness . the movie then jump to what seem like day later ( or perhaps even long ) and the main character now have a moustache grow out . the moustache be present be the catalyst to get him back to timeline b and and when he get back to his hotel his wife his there and and it be a if she have be there the whole time and with him and on vacation . that night he ask if she would like to see him without a moustache and and she say that she might like to have him try it . this be a different answer than at the opening of the movie and where she say that she have never see him without it and and she doesn not seem to be that into the idea of him shave it . he shave the moustache and but stay in timeline b. perhaps this time the move be not so jarring because he have do it before . or perhaps it be because his wife seem more approve this time while they be happy on vacation . or perhaps it be because he have learn to live in and accept betweenness after his experience on the ferry . all be well . or be it . a the light dim in the room and the viewer be wonder if he will wake up in timeline a all alone .