A Model Employee (2003) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

A troubled company boss is drawn into a violent conspiracy after taking in a mysterious woman.

Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases

A Stranger Enters His Life

François faces a marital crisis while managing an IT company and a valuable patent. He shelters and hires Florence, and their relationship becomes romantic.

Key Events

• Patent Draws Foreign Interest — François works on a patent that interests an American company. Characters: François Maurey Location: Provincial IT company
• Marital Crisis — François is experiencing a serious marital crisis. Characters: François Maurey Location: François's home
• Florence Appears — François's life crosses with Florence, a mysterious young woman. Characters: François Maurey, Florence Location: François's home
• Shelter and Employment — François houses Florence and hires her at his company. Characters: François Maurey, Florence Location: François's home and IT company
• The Affair Begins — François and Florence become lovers amid his marital crisis. Characters: François Maurey, Florence Location: François's apartment

The Crime They Conceal

Florence's husband attacks François, and Florence kills him during the confrontation. François helps Florence hide the body and sends her to the country house.

Key Events

• Husband Invades Apartment — Florence's husband enters François's apartment and attacks him. Characters: François Maurey, Florence Location: François's apartment
• Fatal Intervention — Florence intervenes during the fight and kills her husband. Characters: François Maurey, Florence Location: François's apartment
• Body Concealment — François and Florence dispose of the body and conceal the crime. Characters: François Maurey, Florence Location: Near François's apartment
• Country House Hiding Place — Florence goes into hiding at François's country house. Characters: François Maurey, Florence Location: François's country house

Identity Unravels

A disappearance complaint brings police attention, but no identity matches Florence. François finds her bound, then faces the supposedly dead husband's ransom demand.

Key Events

• Disappearance Investigation — Police investigate after the missing man's colleagues file a complaint. Characters: François Maurey Location: Police station
• Florence Has No Identity — Police find no person matching the identity Florence has used. Characters: François Maurey, Florence Location: Police station
• Bound at the Country House — François reaches the country house and discovers Florence bound. Characters: François Maurey, Florence Location: François's country house
• Ransom Demand — The supposedly dead husband appears and demands money from François. Characters: François Maurey Location: François's country house
• False Police Interception — Two false police officers stop François's car and knock him unconscious. Characters: François Maurey Location: Country road

Flight Through Betrayal

False police officers attack François, and police report the discovery of a couple's bodies. Florence summons him to a hotel where killers interrupt their encounter.

Key Events

• Bodies Are Reported — Police tell François that a couple's bodies have been found. Characters: François Maurey Location: Police station
• Florence Calls François — Florence summons François to her hotel. Characters: François Maurey, Florence Location: Hotel
• Hotel Ambush — After François and Florence have sex, two killers enter the room. Characters: François Maurey, Florence Location: Hotel room
• Escape Ordered — A police officer holds off the killers and tells François to flee. Characters: François Maurey Location: Hotel

Ashes and Return

A police officer enables François's escape, after which François destroys his factory and hides. Florence returns asking about a house for sale near the country house.

Key Events

• Factory Destroyed — François goes to the factory and blows it up before hiding. Characters: François Maurey Location: IT factory
• Messages and Property Sale — François contacts his wife and daughter and asks them to sell the country house. Characters: François Maurey Location: Hiding place
• Florence Returns — Florence arrives and asks whether a house nearby is available for sale. Characters: François Maurey, Florence Location: Near the country house

Story Breakdown

• François Under Pressure — François begins with professional responsibility and a deteriorating private life.
  • Valuable Patent — His IT company is developing a patent that interests an American company.
  • Marital Crisis — His personal life is already unstable before Florence appears.
• Florence Arrives — Florence enters François's life and quickly gains access to his home and work.
  • Shelter Offered — François gives Florence a place to stay.
  • Job And Affair — He hires her, and they become lovers.
• Violence At Home — A confrontation with Florence's husband changes the story from affair to crime.
  • Apartment Attack — The husband enters François's apartment and fights him.
  • Fatal Intervention — Florence kills her husband during the struggle.
• Concealment And Pursuit — François and Florence attempt to hide the crime while police attention increases.
  • Hidden Body — They dispose of the body and conceal what happened.
  • Country House — Florence hides at François's country property.
  • Missing Person Complaint — The disappearance leads police to investigate.
• Identity And Ransom — The apparent disappearance becomes more confusing when Florence's identity fails police scrutiny.
  • False Identity — Police find nobody matching Florence's identity.
  • Bound Florence — François discovers Florence tied up at the country house.
  • Unexpected Ransom — The supposedly dead husband appears and demands money.
• Flight And Destruction — François faces attacks, escapes through police intervention, and abandons his former life.
  • False Police Attack — Two false officers stop François and knock him unconscious.
  • Hotel Ambush — Killers attack François and Florence after their hotel encounter.
  • Factory Explosion — François destroys the factory before going into hiding.
• An Unresolved Return — François tries to arrange a future disappearance, but Florence reappears near the country house.
  • Messages To Family — François sends news to his wife and daughter and asks them to sell the country house.
  • House For Sale — Florence asks whether a nearby house is available for sale.

Directed by

Jacques Otmezguine

Key Cast

• François Berléand — François Maurey
• Delphine Rollin — Florence
• Nicole Calfan — Caroline Maurey
• François Morel — Commissaire Bovary
• Leslie Phils — Marianne Maurey