`TIME TO LEAVE' A COLORFUL DIE JOB.

Byline: Glenn Whipp Film Critic

You've seen the setup of Francois Ozon's ``Time to Leave'' more than a few times before: A selfish, infantile jerk, in this case a gay Parisian fashion photographer named Romain (Melvil Poupaud), receives a terminal-illness death sentence from a doctor and then spends his remaining days struggling to find meaning and redemption.

Ozon (``Swimming Pool,'' ``8 Women'') adeptly eschews the familiar here by refusing to make Romain apologetic, much less likable.

While this removes ``Time to Leave'' from the weepy disease of-the-week genre, it doesn't necessarily make it any more interesting or necessary. It's certainly more conventional than it should be, given the filmmaker and subject matter.

Romain's response to his bad news is to turn even more inward.

He visits his parents, intending to tell them his fate. Instead, he snorts coke in the bathroom, berates his touchy feely sister (Louise-Anne Hippeu) and leaves, divulging nothing, which will inevitably ramp up his family's guilt after his demise. Later, he cruelly breaks up with his boy-toy lover after one last rough roll in the sack.

Only with his grandmother (the great Jeanne Moreau) does Romain reveal his fears and tears. Why her? ``You're like me, you'll be dying soon,'' Romain tells her, as usual sparing no feelings in the process.

Not surprisingly, this small section of the film is its most memorable, both for Moreau's lovely acting and the tenderness of Ozon's writing.

While visiting his grandmother, a waitress presents Romain with an offer full of redemptive possibilities, not to mention the opportunity for a menage a trois. (Those French!) Meanwhile, Romain sees his inner child wherever he goes. The problem is, that childishness is all we really understand about the character. Nothing else punches through.

Still, Ozon ends the movie on a beautiful grace note, returning to his favorite place -- the beach -- for a final pilgrimage that uses the ocean and the elements in ways that are simple and profound. There isn't much in ``Time to Leave'' to shout about, but these last few minutes are picture-perfect, alone almost worth a recommendation.

Glenn Whipp, [phone].

glenn.whipp(at)dailynews.com

TIME TO LEAVE - Two and one half stars

(Not rated: strong sexuality, language)

Starring: Melvil Poupaud, Jeanne Moreau.

Director: Francois Ozon.

Running time: 1 hr. 18 min.

Playing: Laemmle Playhouse 7 in Pasadena; Laemmle Sunset 5 in West Hollywood.

In a nutshell: Terminally ill narcissist struggles against finding some meaning in his final days, almost succeeds.

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Photo:

Melvil Poupaud, left, Christian Sengewald in ``Time to Leave.''(sect)