it unfortunate that many of the other detractor of this film seem influence by prior bias . ( i. e. anger at the gay character and think french thriller be bad and etc . ) i will admit that i be unfamiliar with the novel and but a a film and after about 45 minute and i be roll my eye . hopefully i can explain in write my complaint eloquently enough before i get sick of spend anymore time on this film over the 2 hour of it run length . ( 2 hour that felt like 3 ) do not get me wrong and i can sit through hour and a half silent film and 3 hour epic and i do not have a short attention span and nor be i so jade by the mtv generation that i cant appreciate a subtle and slowly building film . here go and my grocery list of complaint . first off and the end . yes and it have a scooby doo esquire and character explains everything at the end . now i actually think for this movie and this be necessary . the film have so many plot twist and emotional revelation and new fact surface and be discover . one reviewer say it well represent . yes and it be a very logical story and but without the very essential back story ( their childhood story and the relationship amongst the 3 parent and the relationship amongst the two lovebird and the son of the big man ) and it just doesn not feel right . i felt cheat i would not throw in too many spoiler here and i could name specific revelation that i think be unnecessary and but accord to the review on here and there a lot of people who seem to really love this and so i do not want to give anything away . i personally and can not stand soap opera . the complexity and and twist and turn and for me and snuff out any impact the final revelation could possibly deliver . by the end and i seriously do not care . there weren not any gaping plot hole necessarily while this seem like it could make a great book and in write it be perfectly logical and but if i be suppose to believe this be reality and something doesn not sit right with the piece that have be haphazardly insert . too often i felt crucial character we be never able to get to know be throw in to further complicate the plot and increase the emotion and and develop the mystery . the acting i have no complaint about and the directing and eh and not bad and but the plot and and especially it development and severely lack . sorry to those that felt this be a perfect thriller and but i couldn not get into it . i give this a 3 simply because i do not want to seem completely unfair and and it do have moment of slight intrigue and excitement . major spoiler and i have to mention it . but when the father be make his revelation to alexandre and just when you think the plot couldn not fit in another twist . your father do not die in a hunting accident . i almost die . when be the father at all develop or even really mention much in the back story . be you serious . like the already complex plot involve character from all the family and their relationship to one another wasn not enough . do the protagonist need another emotional whallop more than he have already be feed . sorry i have to throw in such a spoiler and but that just bother me as much a i have ever be bother in any film .