I've only just discovered this French film. A friend loaned me an imported DVD copy and even though it suffered some surface damage (making it awkward to scan several small sections) I enjoyed most of this very interesting story.
While I felt some of the situations between principal characters may not have been developed as fully as necessary (having several writers never helps) I still found myself being drawn into their briefly intertwining lives. Having engaged in a brief stint of seasonal work in my own youth, I certainly can vouch for the animosity dealt out to 'strangers' who come to find work in small close knit communities. The film shines in capturing the arrogance of locals preserving their own 'limited home culture'
The performances are uniformly good, but the special effects are the stars. Wonderful Cinematography puts you in the action and captures the specialized, now lost, art of Lighthouse keeping. This is possibly the best glimpse into the lives of keepers of the flame since great French Director of Photography; Henri Decae, shot Kirk Douglases interesting (but sadly overindulged) problematic production "The Light at the Edge of the World" back in '71 (if you can find the better 'Short Version' of the Douglas film you may find it exiting) To "L'equipier's' advantage is the remarkable on-location filming (reffered to in the film as the end of the world) both during turbulent storms at sea, and within the souls of its characters. Film Sound man turned Director Philippe Lioret certainly works hard with this material, and his capable cast ~ Of particular note is Philippe Torreton as head Lightkeeper.
We only get glimpses into why the gentle Gregori Derangere character seems to be continually running away from his past IE: a scene where he sits reflectively in an empty Church...until his disclosure towards the end. The adulterous sexual encounter with his workmate's wife (up against a wall during a festival) seems a little out of pace with the rest of the film, as if it was deliberately set up to gain an 'A' Certificate. Some of the more violent encounters with townsfolk looked a little this way also, but the majority of 'modern' viewers won't be bothered by any of these activities. Overall, the poignant love story should engage a large cross section of viewers. The film also has a fine, unobtrusive music score that helps to knit scenes together nicely. Apart from one or two situations being over exaggerated "The Light" is compelling, and strikingly good looking Cinema. Ken Roche.
