What a great film! How can it be where as you're two hours into watching the film, you wander where its going, you're not really sure if you like any of the characters, and at the end of the film, you want to stand up and shout and hug each one of the characters. Roger Ebert wrote about this film that 'It meanders, but knows exactly where its going" and I completely agree with that assessment.
Its a film where, at over 150 minutes, the length is completely essential for the enjoyment, because it is not so much the content of the film's scenes that give it its power, but the overall spirit of it which gives it its strength and meaning. Two very powerful scenes near the end, Isabelle hugging Vincent, and Max hugging Vincent, for different reasons, were just incredibly well directed, well acted, with so much depth, it left me in awe and the heartbreaking speech from Jean-Louis, which gives the movie its title, was just amazingly perceptive not only of its characters, but of modern life in general. Much thanks goes to the writers, the director, the actors, and everyone involved with making this very french film universal.
P.S. Francois Cluzet's performance is extraordinary, especially the scene where he's scolding the child for cheating at FREEZE! (un,deux,trois soliel) The look on his face of self-loathing, asking himself "why am I like this?" was brilliant. His whole performance was so unconventional, so unexpected, but so honest. It surprises me sometimes how actors are able to strip away egos in order to get so deep. Bravo!
Its a film where, at over 150 minutes, the length is completely essential for the enjoyment, because it is not so much the content of the film's scenes that give it its power, but the overall spirit of it which gives it its strength and meaning. Two very powerful scenes near the end, Isabelle hugging Vincent, and Max hugging Vincent, for different reasons, were just incredibly well directed, well acted, with so much depth, it left me in awe and the heartbreaking speech from Jean-Louis, which gives the movie its title, was just amazingly perceptive not only of its characters, but of modern life in general. Much thanks goes to the writers, the director, the actors, and everyone involved with making this very french film universal.
P.S. Francois Cluzet's performance is extraordinary, especially the scene where he's scolding the child for cheating at FREEZE! (un,deux,trois soliel) The look on his face of self-loathing, asking himself "why am I like this?" was brilliant. His whole performance was so unconventional, so unexpected, but so honest. It surprises me sometimes how actors are able to strip away egos in order to get so deep. Bravo!