Beineix’s torrid tale of passion focuses on the reckless relationship between a Riviera handyman who dreams of becoming a writer and a disgruntled waitress careening toward madness. While she takes him on a journey that opens new possibilities for his staid, provincial life, their path ultimately leads to her own undoing. Explosively erotic, this is a flamboyant hymn to youthful abandon, emotional excess, and romanticized self-destruction. Although the film gained most of its notoriety for its graphic depiction of sexuality, Beineix’s work can now be seen, along with the films of his contemporary Léos Carax, as a hyperrealist view of the darker side of romance.