Heading South (2006)

Redundant and unnecessary.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

Brenda arrives in 70s Haiti looking to find the then 15-year-old Legba, a street waif she took in and ultimately seduced, awakening her own long suppressed sexual longings. When she gets there the boy has become a man, a male prostitute servicing defiant but ultimately self-deluding middle-aged women.Karen Young is excellent as the clingy, needy Brenda, hopelessly believing that romantic love can prevail amongst the sexual and political squalor of corrupt, poverty-stricken Haiti. Her performance is matched by Charlotte Rampling as steely Ellen, the alpha female of the beach-and-boys set who appears to be in control, until Brenda's arrival strips her facade away and shows she, too, is hopelessly lost. The women see themselves as enjoying a pleasure their own Western world has denied them, wantonly ignorant of their own corrosive influence.Ménothy Cesar as Legba is a powerful screen presence and brings humanity and surprises to a difficult role. The film makes strange choices: having characters talk directly to camera documentary style, for example. This economically condenses much of the story, but ultimately felt like a cheat. Legba's ill-fated dalliance with an ex serves to seal his fate in a way that wraps things up too neatly and so conflicts with the greater socioeconomic, and human, issues that the film had attempted to introduce.Wonderful acting, but a storyline that is at times pat and ultimately too earnest in its telling.

I saw this movie on August 19, 2006. It took me some time to catch on and find a meaning to it, but I did. The ladies in the movie were all obviously past age 40. It was clear that each one of them was tired of the bar scene and hadn't been in a relationship for a period of time. They felt that going to Haiti was an escape from the reality of where they were living, their jobs, and the fact that each of them wasn't in a relationship. The Hatian young men were used to provide them with a man to be with. Ellen admitted to the fact that life for a woman after 40 is different and the bars held nothing for her. Possibly the same can be said for the other women in the movie who were on Haiti for a vacation. What these women failed to realize and possibly didn't want to realize is the fact that there are other alternatives to finding men other than a bar, such as volunteering and hobby and special interest clubs. The same can be said for other women and I am sure for men. Ellen and Brenda had an interest in the same young Hatian man. When he was killed, they had no more purpose to being in Haiti. The movie does show the poverty in Haiti at the time, which still exists.

When I first heard about this film I was determined to go see it as it sounded like the makings of a great film. It did have the makings of a great film, but unfortunately they didn't make a great film out of it! It was boring, tension-free and uneventful. It was impossible to empathise with any of the main characters as none of them had strong enough characters to provoke any interest from the viewer. The fact that it was set in Haiti during Baby Doc's reign of terror should have meant that there was a palpable sense of fear or dread throughout the entire film...there was none, apart from very brief moments. Even the central theme of older ladies travelling to a poor country to use local young men as sex toys for the duration of their holiday wasn't explored in any depth. Overall, a disappointing experience.

Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world attracts a special kind of sexual tourism. It doesn't involve men looking for kinky sex, or men looking for women, instead it is mainly older women who like to spend some time with the young men they met at the beaches of the different resorts they patronize. The sex is an adventure as well as something they could well afford. After all, the young men these women seek are flattered by the white women that love to have a little time with them while on vacation.Helen, a repeat visitor, has claimed for her stay the services of the handsome, slim, and charming Legba. Helen, a college professor back in the States, figures in Boston she could only aspire to have sex with older men who are cheating their wives. Here at the resort, she has picked the cream of the crop for her amusement during her summer vacation. Little prepares her to see someone else take claim of Legba, who she regards as her personal property.Brenda, a woman from Savannah, arrives at the resort, as the story unfolds. Having been there before with her husband, she had met Legba; they had sex and the young man has made her come for more, not knowing she is stepping on someone's territory. Helen, in spite of her welcoming gesture, realizes she is competing with Brenda for the same young man.Legba and his friends are ubiquitous in other parts of the Caribbean resorts where they tend to go in search of adventure and a bit of money so they can have nice clothes that most of the time are given to them by the tourists. Legba, or his friends, are never accepted to eat at the restaurant, as it's made clear to Brenda by Albert, the hotel manager, who considers them a plague he rather do away with.Haiti was ruled at the time by Francois Duvalier, or "Papa Doc", one of the bloodiest dictators in the Caribbean. His men roamed the country killing left and right. One of the higher ups in the government takes a young mistress, who happened to be in love with Legba. When she sees him on the street one day, she invites him for a ride, but she is marking him as a condemned man as far as the loyal driver is concerned. Legba will have no chance to keep on living after that encounter.Laurent Cantet, the huge talent behind the camera, keeps surprising his audience. He co-wrote the screen play with Robin Campillo, resulting in an impressive film in the way it's been set up and the rich texture Mr. Cantet gave to the production.Charlotte Rampling is seen as Helen. This actress is enjoying a second career in France. Ms. Rampling is one of the best things in the film. One can see in her face the emotions this woman of a certain age is going through after she feels betrayed by Legba. Karen Young, as Brenda, is also quite good. Evidently she never knew love in her marriage and she awakens with Legba in the kind of sex she has never experienced. Louise Portal plays Sue, the Canadian woman who is attracted to the sexual atmosphere and the attention from all the poor youths that look for tourists in order to make ends meet. Menathy Cesar, appears as Legba. Mr. Cesar shows why the women love him. He is charismatic and knows how to move. Lys Ambroise plays Albert, the proud man of a good family now reduced to manage this resort.Laurent Cantet clearly shows why he is one of the most interesting directors working in films today. He has no fear tackling themes other more established men would shun to deal with. His honesty permeates everything he does. This is a film recommended for mature audiences.