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Heading South

Play trailer Poster for Heading South 2005 1h 47m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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70% Tomatometer 83 Reviews 46% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Three older women -- Ellen (Charlotte Rampling), a university professor from New England; Brenda (Karen Young), a housewife from Georgia; and Sue (Louise Portal), a blue-collar Canadian -- descend upon a Haitian resort in a lusty haze. Hoping to escape from dissatisfaction and loneliness, the women repeatedly hire handsome local men for casual sex. But, when Brenda begins to develop feelings for gigolo Legba (Ménothy Cesar), the sudden appearance of honest emotion throws the trio into turmoil.
Heading South

What to Know

Critics Consensus

As touching as it is disturbing, Heading South is an unconventional exploration of desire and longing, with superb performances and direction.

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Critics Reviews

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Marjorie Baumgarten Austin Chronicle Heading South opens up a fascinating world of complexities, some of which are there on the screen although others open up only once the horizon line moves past the screen's edge. Rated: 3/5 Nov 30, 2006 Full Review Steve Murray Atlanta Journal-Constitution Exploring female desire in a way films rarely do, Heading South is a film of sometimes subtle, sometimes blunt metaphors for the interaction of rich and pauperized countries. Rated: B- Sep 23, 2006 Full Review Mick LaSalle San Francisco Chronicle The film offers something unusual, a tragic spectacle of normal, recognizable and utterly sympathetic people condemning themselves. Rated: 3/4 Sep 1, 2006 Full Review Yasser Medina Cinefilia The denunciation material presented by this Cantet film makes me reflect when it elaborates a very contained and transparent panorama on misery, social inequality and sex tourism. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 7/10 Jul 20, 2020 Full Review Fernando F. Croce CinePassion Displays an almost Fassbinder-like sensitivity to emotional shifts in power Aug 30, 2009 Full Review Cole Smithey ColeSmithey.com A trio of middle-aged white women from different backgrounds relish the tropical pleasures of '70s era Haiti, which includes local teenage gigolos, in writer/director Laurent Cantet's problematic filmic adaptation of three short stories by Dany Laferriere Rated: B- Apr 23, 2009 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Bruce E Very disturbing and creepy, and not in a good way, at all, and on all fronts. I'm surprised this actually managed to be funded and released. Wow! Rated 1 out of 5 stars 10/05/23 Full Review Audience Member Provocative enough, but rather too tedious. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Audience Member Good movie... love Charlotte Rampling - don't know how this slipped my radar. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Audience Member Good movie on a topic that is not really explored very often. My gripe was the fact this movie was set in the 1970s and the props and clothing were obviously much newer. I know it's an independent movie, but damn some effort would have been nice. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/23/23 Full Review Audience Member Despite my principles of always finishing films, I only could take 25 minutes of this. Wrong. Just wrong. In so many ways. Deeply disturbing, in fact. And sad. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review Audience Member The film takes place in Haiti in the late 70's and is about three older single women visiting a beach resort to take advantage of the sun, sea, sand, and young Haitian men. I loved this film. It feels very French in its tasteful restraint. Actual sex is never shown, yet it is every bit as titilating as if it were. This movie asks questions you didn't want to think about and turns perceptions around. The sad revelations at the end of the film say a lot about human nature will keep the film in your mind. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/11/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Heading South

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Cast & Crew

View All Cast and Crew

Laurent Cantet

Director

Charlotte Rampling

Ellen

Karen Young

Brenda

Louise Portal

Sue

Ménothy Cesar

Legba

Lys Ambroise

Albert

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Heading South

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Movie Info

Synopsis Three older women -- Ellen (Charlotte Rampling), a university professor from New England; Brenda (Karen Young), a housewife from Georgia; and Sue (Louise Portal), a blue-collar Canadian -- descend upon a Haitian resort in a lusty haze. Hoping to escape from dissatisfaction and loneliness, the women repeatedly hire handsome local men for casual sex. But, when Brenda begins to develop feelings for gigolo Legba (Ménothy Cesar), the sudden appearance of honest emotion throws the trio into turmoil.
Director
Laurent Cantet
Producer
Caroline Benjo, Carole Scotta, Simon Arnal
Screenwriter
Laurent Cantet, Robin Campillo
Production Co
Haut et Court, France 3 Cinéma, Les Films Seville
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Jul 7, 2006
Release Date (DVD)
May 1, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA)
$896.9K
Runtime
1h 47m
Sound Mix
Dolby SRD