one of polanski best film . all player give perhaps career best performance while certainly hugh grant and kristen scott thomas have never be involve in anything of great substance ( the english patient or no . and peter coyote be unsurpassed represent weltschmerz have never be portray more effectively or intelligently . it be a study of different form of human love and contemplate the distinction between that of physical desire and attraction and against something more fundamental . special mention should be make of the theme music which and in my opinion and be vangelis at his best and work superlatively in the context of the sea voyage setting . here be perhaps testament to the notion that the best film can attain something approach exquisite art represent in capture mere quotidian human experience and evoke something beyond . on paper this be a movie make about an obsessive love affair in early 90 paris a recount by one of the protagonist to an emotionally confused englishman on an ocean voyage . but it seem so much more than the sum of it part while it transcend and sublimate the premise of the storyline and the experience of the character .