The Ecstasy of Agony: Re-evaluating Bertrand Blier’s My Man (1996)
The story centers on Marie (Anouk Grinberg), a prostitute in Lyon who genuinely loves her work. One cold night, she finds Jeannot (Gérard Lanvin), a homeless man sleeping in her building’s foyer. In an impulsive act of radical kindness—or perhaps existential boredom—she feeds him, offers him her bed, and eventually, her heart. My Man(1996)
Marie is initially independent and happy, making her sudden submission to Jeannot baffling to many viewers. However, some critics suggest her actions are a "lurching stab at love" in a futile attempt to find meaning in an empty world. The Ecstasy of Agony: Re-evaluating Bertrand Blier’s My
The film remains highly controversial for its perceived misogyny. Blier himself later reflected on the film’s famous final line—"Women, forgive me"—stating that "all men should apologize to women for what they have done to them". Marie is initially independent and happy, making her