I wish I could find something good about this film but helas... I really tried hard watching it at different times but still, it's almost unbearable to watch. I really envy non french-speakers who may then not be affected by the terrible acting (but the script is basically awful so the actors may not be totally responsible). This film is discontinued, the storyline is either too slow or too fast, no identification with the characters is possible, it's just uncanny. The actors seem to 'recitate' their part with no emotion (Deneuve has such a monotonous and unconvincing tone of voice. Vincent Perez is very good-looking but truly has no talent whatsoever). Everything happens abruptly with no real continuity, the editing is appalling. We don't see that much of the Vietnam either and these bits of history do nothing for the film. What this film lacks above all is depth, it just goes in different directions with no coherence. Bits of this and bits of that, I find HARD to believe this film got an award for the best foreign film. The landscapes maybe? I certainly would recommend 'The Lover' inspired by Marguerite Duras' novel of the same name as well as films like 'Cyclo' or 'the scent of the green papaya'. A different aspect of the Vietnam but far more interesting.