The Fire Within

Wee Hunk

The main problem is that it's massively overwritten. Ronet does a great acting job, but the excessive philosophizing brings it down. Also, I hate that device that a lot of soap operas use where the people say, "He looks terrible", and of course he looks perfectly fine. I understand it with soap opera stars because they're super vain. This guy looks great all the time.

PolarisDiB

Suicidal and clinically depressed people are definitely hard to be around, and its almost shocking to watch all these other people who love the main character keep saying things like, "I'm so happy to see you! We need you back! You must keep checking in!" when the guy acts like a jerk to everyone, but so goes sitting for two hours with an actually depressed person. If that's what you want to watch. --PolarisDiB

Zac Weber

The Fire Within combines two of my favorites - Louis Malle and Erik Satie. This is a quiet, contemplative film and Satie's minimal compositions parallel the tone of Maurice Ronet's somber descent.

Oddly Dreamlike

the thing is... i can't reach out with my hands. i can't touch things. and when i do touch things, i feel nothing.

Laali

« Tu refuses les certitudes parce qu’elles te font peur. Tu fais l’apologie de l’ombre parce que le soleil te blesse les yeux. »

bryanvmh

I fell asleep three times trying to watch this, perhaps less due to the film than due to me being sleepy, but Maurice Ronet's somnambulent performance of depression puts me to bed. This movie is only good insofar as it addresses the fashionability of suicide. I like the folding of clothes, the close shave, and the posturing before death. Alain is sad no one loves him, but his pitiable actions are far from lovable.

CarlosEsquives

Un filme decadente sobre un hombre recogiendo sus pasos, visitando y despidiéndose de sus antiguos amigos, una que otra amante, todo en el espacio de un día, acercándose hacia lo irreparable. Malle hace una visión oscura de aquello que va más allá del vicio. Lo del protagonista es una dolencia existencial que no se quita con la abstinencia. Su último deseo: anunciar su condena, aquello que también padecen los suyos.

SpacePirate

This film perfectly describes how I felt getting off the sauce. I, like, the protagonist, could feel nothing. Suicide was always considered, but in the end, I immersed myself in books, music, film, and art, until eventually the pain and emptiness became bearable. I had to keep my brain preoccupied, as otherwise my story would've ended with the same conclusion. A great study on depression. 5 stars