Directed By: Andre Techine
Written By: Andre Techine, Odile Banski, & Jean Maire-Besset
Based on a play By: Jean Maire-Besset
Cinematography By: Julien Hirsch
Editor: Martine Giordano
CAST: Emille Dequenne, Michel Blanc, Catherine Denueve
This Foreign film has a lot to do with what isn’t said. Leaving the audience to read between the lines. Which seems to be common in French and world cinema. Not so much driven by plot, Driven more by character, mood and emotion. This film doesn’t set a mood where it intends to but leaves you with a impression of the film.
The film isn’t s penetrating as it could have or as it sets out to be. While there is one shocking scene, the rest of the film stays on the straight and narrow of drama. This is clear with the not exact explination of the relationship between Catherine Deneuve and Michel blanc characters we get the gist of it but not an exact explination of it nor do we find out if they even consummated it. This also goes for his son and his son’s estranged wife which even there son comments on the two of them going back and forth.
It seems that one of the themes in this film is non-explination. We see the characters do various acts, Exhibit curious behavior with little to no expliantion. even they never verbalize it.
The story hinges on a girl who after going naively into a relationship. Has a horrific set of events happen is quickly dumped. In a fit of depression she makes up a story that she was attacked on a train by anti-semetic thugs. The case gets national attention as doubts about her story rise we get to meet her lawyer and his family who have a connection to her mother. This event allows her mother and the lawyer to reconnect and have closure to their relationship.
I found Catherine Deneuve’s character the most interesting. She works with children is overprotective when it comes to her daughter yet is cold and practical with all others. It’s fascinating.
The main daughter role is played by Emilie Dequenne a serene beautywho I didn’t recognize at all but upon researching the film found out she is the actress who starred in one of my favorite films ROSETTA she is good in this film but not as good as she was in ROSETTA. Though this role is hard to play as she isn’t given too much to play around with. So that you chalk up the character to being young and immature feeling so many emotions yet not knowing how to express them. She has a good look of both youthful beauty but a wiseness beyond her years and eyes. 2 scenes towards the end are so heartbreaking with her and the lawyers grandson. I wish the film had been filled with more moments like that.
It is a good Rental
GRADE: C+
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