Red Lights

Antoine quits his job at the insurance firm to meet his wife and pick up the kids for a two-week vacation in the Basque Country. They intend to beat the Friday traffic by starting the trip early and plan to meet at a local bar afterward. The decision foreshadows the personal strain that will accompany the journey.

Hélène arrives late at the bar, underscoring a long-standing strain in their marriage. They want to shower and eat quickly before leaving, which only adds to Antoine's mounting irritation. The shaky arrangement hints at the friction that frames the trip.

Traffic is heavy, prompting Antoine to abandon the highway and take a back road toward Tours. He refuses to let Hélène drive, and their bickering grows as he navigates while sipping drinks. The drive becomes a tense prelude to the voyage.

Antoine makes several stops at local bars, drinking to dull the friction while Hélène remains in the car. The distance grows between them as the journey drags on. The back-road trip becomes a slow-burning quarrel.

In a bar, Antoine sees a TV report about an escaped convict, underscoring danger nearby. When he returns to the car, Hélène has left him a note: 'I’m taking the train.' He is left frantic and confused, unsure what to do next.

Antoine drives to the nearest train station to search for her, but the last train has already departed. He reaches the next station only to be delayed by a police checkpoint searching for the escapee. The night tightens around him as he drifts toward despair.

Outside a bar, a large quiet man asks for a ride to Bordeaux, and Antoine agrees. As they travel, Antoine realizes the man is the escaped convict, a revelation that strangely excites him due to the convict's 'independent' spirit.

They stop for gasoline and Antoine buys a bottle of whiskey, then drinks as the convict grows irritated. The man falls asleep, and a drunken Antoine crashes the car, forcing the convict to change the tire. The uneasy dynamic tightens as they continue toward Bordeaux.

The convict assaults Antoine, dragging him from the car into the woods. Antoine begs for a quick, painless end as they struggle for control; the convict retrieves a tire jack and the confrontation ends with Antoine beating him to death.

After disabling the car, Antoine hitches a ride and makes numerous calls to find his wife. He learns she is hospitalized after an incident at Poitiers train station.

Lieutenant Levet informs him that Hélène was beaten, robbed, and raped by the convict, whose body has been found. Antoine recounts their earlier exchange but omits his own involvement in the later events, introducing moral ambiguity.

Antoine experiences a nightmare as Hélène recovers, realizing the damage of his actions. He visits her, apologizes, and the couple reconcile, reaffirming their love.

After another day, they leave the hospital to fetch their kids and drive away along a country road, signaling a fragile but restored family life. The final image emphasizes a quieter, hopeful path forward.