There were hundreds of widowers at the Byrd Theatre Sunday afternoon. At least, the film “Coup de Sang” drew the audience into the mind of Pierre Valois (Pierre Arditi). Using a first-person subjective camera with long, sparsely edited shots, we watch Valois meltdown as he replaces his apathy with contempt for life. The audience gets to know Valois as he becomes reacquainted with himself.
With the main character physically out of the way, the story unfolds in a series of encounters with others, including a bartender, an obnoxious neighbor who abuses his hulking dog, Dominator, and a florist. Also tagging along is the voice of his late wife, Florence (Marie-Christine Barrault), who alternatively goads and coaxes him. She is saddened by his daily visits to her grave, but later outraged when he buys her plastic flowers and becomes involved with the florist, Margaux (Sandrine Le Berre), who is won over by his loyalty.
Valois’ world is literally grey; only the things that bring him joy appear in color. But as he goes through the motions of living – his daily hot chocolate, the affair with Margaux and his p