That Day

That Day

Year: 2003

Runtime: 105 mins

Language: French

Director: Raúl Ruiz

MysteryComedyDramaCrime

A scheming father plots to eliminate his unstable daughter from a previous marriage by arranging the release of a murderous psychopath from an asylum and directing him to his home. Yet the psychopath and the daughter unexpectedly fall for each other, turning the lethal scheme into a twisted romance.

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Timeline & Setting – That Day (2003)

Explore the full timeline and setting of That Day (2003). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Livia's estate, the estate

A sprawling private estate sits at the center of the story, where Livia’s vast wealth draws conspirators and secrets. The secluded mansion and its grounds become a stage for manipulation, deception, and murder as relatives seek to control her fortune. The opulent setting contrasts with the brutal actions that unfold within its walls.

🏰 Estate 💰 Wealth 🔎 Mystery

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:00

Main Characters – That Day (2003)

Meet the key characters of That Day (2003), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Harald - Michel Piccoli

A wealthy family member who orchestrates the plot to kill Livia in order to secure the inheritance. He hires Pointpoirot and guides the conspiracy from behind the scenes, displaying a cold, calculating demeanor. His manipulation reveals the moral decay lurking beneath affluence, and he ultimately commits suicide when faced with the consequences.

🏷️ Patriarch 🧠 Manipulative 💼 Wealth-driven

Livia - Elsa Zylberstein

A young woman whose delusional visions and childlike behavior shape her interactions and make her vulnerable to manipulation. She writes her fantasies in notebooks and shares them with strangers, remaining largely unaware of the murders surrounding her. Her innocence and detachment create a fragile center around which the plot spins.

🏷️ Innocence 💰 Inheritance 🧭 Naivety

Patron café - Jacques Denis

A minor café patron whose presence highlights life outside the estate’s drama. He serves as a small, ordinary detail in the unfolding aristocratic intrigue, emphasizing the isolation of the estate as events spiral inside.

🏷️ Minor role 🕊️ Everyday life

Ritter - Christian Vadim

An estate resident whose position hints at old-world loyalties. He remains a peripheral figure, adding texture to the social fabric of the manor without directly driving the plot.

🏷️ Loyalist 🧭 Mysterious

Warff - Féodor Atkine

A relative or associate within the mansion’s circles, contributing to the layered web of relations and potential motives. His exact role is subtle, underscoring the film’s theme of hidden agendas.

🏷️ Relative 🧩 Subtle

Pointpoirot - Bernard Giraudeau

A sociopathic killer hired to murder Livia. He presents a polite, controlled exterior while committing brutal acts, and he gradually forms an unsettling bond with Livia. After carrying out the killings, he escapes and proclaims his love for her.

🏷️ Killer 🧠 Sociopathy 💘 Complex relationship

Bernadette - Hélène Surgère

A family member residing at the estate, part of the social circle surrounding Livia. She becomes entangled in the family dynamics and the unfolding crime, contributing to the tense atmosphere.

🏷️ Relative 🧭 Suspicion

Raufer - Jean-Luc Bideau

An investigator figure whose presence underscores the search for truth. He, along with others, becomes caught in the inertia that allows the conspiracy to persist.

🏷️ Investigator 🕵️ Suspense

Leone - Édith Scob

A member of the household whose actions contribute to the estate’s intricate social web. Her role adds to the dense atmosphere of secrecy and control within the family.

🏷️ Household member 🧭 Secretive

Hubus - Rufus

A minor character in the estate’s circle, representing the ordinary people drawn into the unfolding drama by proximity to the events.

🏷️ Minor role 🧵 Peripheral

Treffle - Jean-François Balmer

A member of the mansion’s network of relatives and staff, contributing to the layered dynamics without driving the plot directly.

🏷️ Relative 🧭 Layered

Roland - Laurent Malet

Another figure within the estate’s circle, whose presence enriches the web of relationships around Livia and the inheritance scheme.

🏷️ Relative 🧩 Web

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:00

Major Themes – That Day (2003)

Explore the central themes of That Day (2003), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💰 Greed

Wealth and inheritance drive the central conflict, turning a seemingly peaceful family into conspirators. The plan to kill Livia hinges on her fortune, revealing the corrupt lengths people will go to secure money. Greed erodes trust and binds the estate’s members to a deadly agenda.

🌀 Delusion

Livia’s delusional visions shape her reality and invite manipulation by others. Her childlike demeanor makes her an easy target for those seeking to control her wealth. The narrative probes how perception can be distorted when wealth, power, and deceit collide.

🧭 Control

Power dynamics govern every move on the estate, guiding who speaks and who stays silent. Harald’s orchestrations show how control translates into moral compromise and violence. The presence of Pointpoirot further unsettles authority, blurring lines between hunter and hunted.

🪓 Violence

Violence creeps into the estate with calculated precision as murders pile up. The household’s quiet calm masks brutal acts and a growing mania. The film contrasts intimate moments of song with brutal acts to heighten dread.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:00

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That Day Summary

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More About That Day

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