Three 2008 films in a row. Unbelievable. So what did I make of this, a lyrical French film about Juliette (a marvelous Kristin Scott Thomas), returning to live with her sister Lea having been released from prison 15 years after murdering her son? Beloved by critics, including my colleague, though not by Oscar, this didn't quite manage to inspire me as it has others, despite good performances from the leads.
There is no doubt that this is Scott Thomas' film and my colleague is right to feel indignant at the lack of nomination, though, sadly, this is what I've come to expect from the Academy. That said, Elsa Zylberstein, who plays the sister, delivers a more understated, though no less compelling performance. There are some interesting male efforts here too, particularly from Laurent Grevill, as Michel. But this is a feminine film, drawing on tender, emotional, themes of sisterhood, belonging and togetherness and it is right that the two leads dominate proceedings.
A slow- burning film, this still never fails to engage it's audience, largely down to the sublime performances. Juliette is a very human character, invested with huge emotional and psychological depth by an excellent script. This is a complex character, but Scott Thomas is more than up to the task. Although you can catch her English accent in places, this is nicely, and very plausibly, explained away and that can, besides, hardly be a criticism coming from someone with as dodgy French as mine. And Lea is an equally deep character, with just as much of a history and with just as many issues, though they are naturally different and perhaps not as insurmountable. In short, this feels a truly human drama, full of human life, struggle, beauty and redemption, many of the themes that are present in films of the highest order.
I would, however, urge caution about putting this in the very top rung of cinematic achievement. It's good, and I enjoyed it, but, ultimately, it failed to inspire me that it was a work of genuine greatness. There are a few reasons for this. Firstly, what is an incredible, show-stopping, last scene (for the brilliant emotion-fueled exchange between the two sisters) is dulled by a shocking piece of editing leading up to it, which can be put down to little more than laziness. Unfortunately, for me at least, it had a negative effect. Secondly, as good as Scott Thomas is, I couldn't fully believe the historical actions of her character as explained in the final reel, which left another slightly bitter taste. And thirdly and finally, I couldn't help but feel that the bravery of the film-makers ebbed away slightly towards the end and they didn't quite have the bottle to make a fully empathetic film about characters who do bad, even unforgivable, things. This remains generally uncharted territory, the latest final taboo, for film-making. It will be a spectacular, epoch-defining, film that crosses those boundaries, but this isn't it.
Perhaps I shouldn't criticise this for being something it isn't and should just have enjoyed it for what it is. But I genuinely think I did. And, ultimately, my enjoyment was spoilt by the fact that this, good as it is, didn't quite deliver on all its promises.
B
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