Finally I have managed to watch Il y a longtemps que je t'aime (I've Loved you so long)....and it was well worth the wait. An epic family drama and history has been condensed by director Philippe Claudel into a beautifully paced and crafted study of a woman (Kristin Scott Thomas) who is hiding a huge dark secret. Ever so slowly, the audience comes to realise the nature of the beast and finally the elephant in the living room whose shadow has fallen over all of her family's lives, is explained finally in a quiet and incredibly powerful end scene.Scott Thomas is amazing as the chain smoking, cardigan wearing,complicated and ghost-like Juliette. She grabs your attention from the melancholy opening scene in an airport lounge and never lets you go. She has the presence of all the best silent movie stars rolled into one. It is a stunning truly Oscar winning performance.
The film' message seems clear.......it is family bonds and friendships that provide refuge and rehabilitation to the damaged and guilty...and despite the dreadful subject matter, the sense of hope and positivity within the complicated and clever narrative is compelling
9/10
You are a fabulous writer. Even though I know your morose taste in fine cinema, you have compelled me to seek this one out. Love your avatar. Peace for all
ReplyDeleteThis looks good. I'm gonna have to make a list of your reviews when I get back to farrr N.Idaho so I can rent the DVD's. I have a box set of the (tv)series Monk that I have to watch when I get up there too. It's a fun thing to do in the evening once it's too dark to work outside.
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