Actors Isabelle Hupert and Louis Garrel are what drew me to this French film. However, had I known the inexplicable mess this film would turn out to be, I might have passed altogether. The director updates a novel set in turn-of-the-century brothels to modern day Canary Islands - presumably equating the European tourist's penchant for holiday sex with Victorian appetites. But everything that goes smugly unsaid in this film only serves to confuse the viewer and cloud the filmmaker's viewpoint (whatever it may be). Sex scenes of blatant perversion are piled onto an unclear narrative giving them a gratuitous feeling despite the air of self-importance that pervades the proceedings. Though we know the ill-fated Mother/Son attraction must end tragically, I wasn't quite prepared for the borderline absurd fade-out scored to The Turtles' "Happy Together" featuring a morgue masturbation. The DVD goes as far as to provide an 'alternate' ending that is just as ridiculous but ten times more confusing. Oh, mommy. This is more merde than mere.