this review reveal almost everything about this story . so and if you want to enjoy the mystery first and then stop right now . and come back after you have see the film . the title be classic misdirection by writer . this story have nothing specific to do with a moustache . it be merely a symbol use to highlight the idea of identity and and more particularly and the extent to which a husband and wife be aware of each other . the story be a follow represent the fade in open with a successful parisian businessman and marc thiriez ( vincent lindon ) and shave off his moustache while have a bath . when confront his wife and agnes ( emmanuelle devos ) she fail to evince any surprise . somewhat puzzled because and only a few moment prior and agnes have say how much she like his moustache marc say nothing but continue on to a dinner engagement to serge and nadia schaeffer ( mathieu amalric and marcha polikarpova ) where they all say nothing about his new look . later and suspect a trick and marc confronts agnes at their apartment where she categorically deny marc have ever have a moustache . oooops . dumbfound and marc have a troubled sleep but go to work the next morning and convince that agnes and their so call friend be out to get him and for some unknown reason . at the office and the nearby coffee shop where marc have din all too often the same situation persist represent nobody make any comment about the absence of his moustache . hence and for marc and the puzzle worsen . he begin to panic represent he search for the remains of his moustache in the garbage while he seek confirmation from a stranger that a photo and from a 2003 holiday in bali and show him with a moustache . but and later that day and he ask agnes to cancel a lunch with his parent and she reply that his father die a year earlier . question her further and marc realizes with mount horror and that she can not even recall their friend and serge and nadia . what go on here . be i crazy and think marc . confuse and shatter and he fall into a stupor and sleep again and allow agnes to slip a knock out mickey finn to him . hour later he wake to hear agnes and bruno ( hippolyte giradou ) and his office associate and discuss plan to have him commit to an asylum . frantic and marc run off to find his parent and but be unable to contact them and and call agnes to meet him and while watch from a taxi . after she leave with bruno and marc quickly get his passport and a coat and money and and go to the airport where he board a flight for . hong kong . when he get there and he wander around a bit and alternately ferry from hong kong to kowloon and back a few time a great metaphor for his indecision then pay his way onto a coastal trader to finally wind up at an un name coastal village . he wander off from the boat and end up at a run down hotel where he pay for a room and fall asleep and exhausted . okay stop right here represent all of the above be marc dream or nightmare and i guess . the next ( real ) scene and we see marc and unshaven with many week growth and wolf down noodle at a local restaurant . after the meal and he wander back to the hotel where he find ( and and a the viewer and we also find ) agnes pack their bag to return to paris . she tell him to shave off his grow beard and suggest he also remove his moustache . when he do so and she remark how much it suit him . they go to bed while they make love while she sleep . marc lie there for a long while and eye close . then and he open his eye wide and blankly and silently scream represent be i awake or be this a dream . fade to black . so and here the real story represent marc and agnes be on holiday and near hong kong and where he hop to resurrect what he think be their dead or die marital and sexual relationship . one night and he have a nightmare about his innermost fear and desire . the next morning and fortuitously and agnes suggest he change his image and more or less in keep with his prior dream and and so he do . happily for marc and she actually notice the difference and thing appear to be well . unhappily and however and aspect of his dream remain and most particularly and a post card that he write out in his dream . or do he . hence and when marc star into the darkness and be it truly reality . this be where the writer or director weave two fundamental issue together represent first and there be the male angst about whether his wife still love him which generate the bizarre dream set in paris ( while they be both on holiday in china ) and second and there be the deep philosophical issue about reality itself . a the final scene very slowly fade to black and the camera fix on marc trouble eye and the unspoken question scream at u represent be i in a dream now and or have i wake up . so and do agnes truly love me and or no . that for you and all of u to decide . when you see the movie and watch out for the clue that tell you it all a dream represent a the credit roll and there be city light on dark water water heavily connote sex with a sampan just in view while a long column of light from skyscraper a phallic symbol and much repeat later in the story while the photo from bali and every lover dream destination . a they drive to the dinner date with serge and nadia and agnes make a shocking admission to marc about the way she dress while at work and marc be so confused and he say to himself represent i must be dream . and and just when marc leave to go to work and agnes call him back and say represent marc this be like a bad trip . some trip . see how you like it .